Amare, a gorilla residing at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo, is seeing a reduction in his screen time due to his addiction to constantly staring at a phone screen, to the extent that he failed to notice another gorilla charging towards him.
Amare’s addiction developed as a result of zoo visitors showing him numerous pictures and videos through the glass partition of his enclosure.
This issue escalated to the extent that the zoo staff had to put up a rope to prevent people from approaching too close to the glass partition.
If anyone is observed trying to show the gorilla a selfie or a funny video, the staff intervenes to discourage them and explains the situation.
The zoo staff have mentioned that Amare is frequently distracted by the bright displays of phone screens, prompting them to take measures to reduce his screen time.
Stephen Ross, the director of the zoo’s Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, expressed concern, stating, “We are growing increasingly concerned that too much of his time is taken looking through people’s photos. We really prefer that he spend much more time with his troop mates learning to be a gorilla,” in an interview with the Chicago-Sun Times.
Despite being unharmed following the unexpected attack from one of his companions, zoo staff are worried about Amare.
Male gorillas often display aggression and engage in play fights during their development to establish dominance and hierarchy. If Amare remains too engrossed in people’s phones, he may miss out on these interactions, leading to a lower social status within the group.
This could potentially result in bullying and “severe developmental consequences,” as mentioned by the zoo.
Therefore, officials have taken steps to gently but firmly reduce Amare’s screen time to ensure his well-being.
Highlighting the need for intervention, Ross added, “As parents, we want to give our children choices and allow them to grow into adults. However, occasionally we need to guide those choices for their good. Rather than allowing them to sit inside and watch TV all day, it is important to encourage them to go outside and interact with their friends. This aligns with the approach we are taking here.”
