Primates Are Not Pets with Dr. Jake Brooker

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style= "mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" xml:lang="EN-US">Any time spent watching chimpanzees is valuable; they show tool use, complex social structures and behaviours, and, according to the latest science, are often quite adorable. It’s no surprise that humans are fascinated by chimpanzees, as we share 98.8 percent of our DNA with them.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style= "mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" xml:lang="EN-US">But how humans treat chimpanzees isn’t always positive. Chimps are still poached for meat and are kept as pets or entertainment. On social media, chimps are dressed up, paraded about, and earn significant revenue for their owners and social media platforms. Tragically, these platforms have little in place to protect potentially exploited animals, and that’s something <a href= "https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/jake-s-brooker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dr. Jake Brooker</strong></a> wants to see change.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style= "mso-ansi-language: EN-US;" xml:lang="EN-US">A research associate at <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/jake-s-brooker/" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">Durham University</a>, working at <a href= "https://chimfunshiwildlife.org/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener"><strong>Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust</strong></a>, Dr. Brooker is studying the behaviour of rescued chimpanzees who were taken from the pet and bushmeat trades. In a recent article on <a href= "https://theconversation.com/chimpanzees-are-not-pets-no-matter-what-social-media-tells-you-211954" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TheConversation.com</a>, Dr. Brooker outlined the realities chimps face as a result of social media and the ongoing plight of wild chimpanzees. To share more about his experiences with the chimpanzees of Chimfunshi, what he’s learning about their incredible behaviour, emotional lives, and social structures, and how animal lovers can help protect chimpanzees, Dr. Brooker joins Defender Radio.</s