Don’t take ‘selfish selfies’, holidaymakers urged
“Born Free strongly advises people not to support the animal photo prop industry or pose for selfies with captive wild animal” – Sarah Jefferson.
Animal welfare charity Born Free is urging holidaymakers not to pose with captive wild animals for photographs as it launches a new campaign to end what it describes as ‘selfish selfies’.
The charity says that many animal-loving holidaymakers are currently unaware of the harm that the practice can cause for the animals involved when they take a snap to share on their social media accounts.
In some tourist hotspots, including zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, and markets, people are offered the opportunity to take photos with animals. This can include Barbary macaques in North Africa, brown-throated sloths in South and Central America, and Bengal slow lorises in South East Asia.
The harm caused by the practice is laid out in a new report, ‘Selfish Selfies: The Exploitation of Captive Wild Animals for Souvenir Photos’, which has been released to coincide with the launch of the campaign.
Among a range of welfare concerns, the report highlights the poor conditions that such animals are often kept in, the distress that regular handling and crowds can cause, and the risk of zoonotic diseases.
Born Free is urging people not to have their photo taken with captive wild animals when on holiday, not to book excursions which include such photo opportunities, and not to like or share social media posts which feature photos of people posing with captive wild animals.
Sarah Jefferson, Born Free’s captivity campaigns information coordinator, said: “Born Free strongly advises people not to support the animal photo prop industry or pose for selfies with captive wild animals.
“We receive hundreds of tourist reports via our Raise the Red Flag platform concerning the use of animals for souvenir photos and we encourage people to speak out when they witness such exploitation and to voice their concerns further with their tour operator or travel agent, to any zoo or facility involved, and to the relevant tourism authorities in the country they are visiting.
"We need people to take action to bring this cruel exploitation to an end.”
BSAVA is to partner with BVA Live (11-12 June 2026) to champion clinical research.
