Alice Sun, a science writer with a background in environmental biology, was at first skeptical of people making animals famous on the internet, be it through memes or otherwise.
"Scientists have long warned of the dangers of anthropomorphism — when we attribute human traits to animals — because it prevents us from seeing the natural world in an objective way," she explained.
"They argue this may lead to an inaccurate understanding of animals and how we should interact with them."
But a few years ago, she went to Central Park in New York City to see Flaco, the Eurasian eagle-owl who escaped from the Central Park Zoo, and started to doubt her position.
"Flaco's fame may actually help," Sun said. "He has been an ambassador for the other raptors of Central Park, getting more people interested in urban wildlife. And recent evidence suggests that anthropomorphism isn't all that bad. In fact, it may be important to embrace emotional attachments to wildlife because it incentivizes people to care, thus helping conservation in the long run."
According to Sun, if we took a look at history, we would see that humans have long used stories and anthropomorphism to understand our relationships with animals.
"Native American stories, such as the tale of how the muskrat dredged up mud to create the world, play a role in shaping the relationship between wildlife and Indigenous communities. Films such as Disney's blockbuster 'Bambi' molded the zeitgeist around wilderness and hunting. And growing research shows that stories like these influence our beliefs, actions and policies far more than scientific knowledge," she said.
Researchers have also seen how naming a study animal and building a story around it can birth a conservation movement. A good example is P-22, a lone mountain lion that frequented Griffith Park in Los Angeles.
With a massive following of dedicated fans, his popularity helped drive funding for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the largest connectivity project of its kind.
"We have a desire to connect with nature, to reach out and bond with it. It's why we want to pet wild animals and take selfies with them, even when it's not safe," Sun says.
But to really connect with animals, social media isn't enough. We need to help. And everyone can do it in a variety of ways. Donating to charities and adopting pets (rather than buying them) are incredible gestures, but you can also contribute by volunteering at local shelters and rescues, planting native plants in your area, or collecting a bag of trash in your neighborhood.
More happy animals, more fun memes!
