At the Toronto Zoo, visitors are asked to keep their phones with them when visiting the gorilla enclosure. The zoo has posted signs around the gorilla enclosure asking guests not to show videos or photos to the apes. The reason? It turns out that too much screen time could disrupt the gorillas’ natural behavior and affect their relationships within the group.

Nassir: The gorilla teenager with the technology obsession

Nassir, a 13-year-old gorilla at the zoo, is particularly fascinated by the videos visitors show him. Zoo staff describe him as the “quintessential teenager” and, given the chance, he could easily spend hours glued to the screen. According to Maria Franke, the zoo’s director of wildlife conservation and animal welfare, Nassir’s interest in videos is so great that it is beginning to interfere with his interactions with other gorillas.

The zoo’s appeal: Let gorillas be gorillas

Hollie Ross, the head of animal behaviour at the Toronto Zoo, explained that while they have not yet seen any significant behavioural changes, they want to prevent potential problems before they arise. “We just want the gorillas to be able to be gorillas,” Ross said, stressing the importance of allowing these animals to express their natural behaviour without the distractions of human technology.

Not only in Toronto: Concern is growing in zoos

This isn’t the first time zoos have had to grapple with the issue of primates and screen time. Last year, Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo installed a rope barrier to stop visitors from showing videos to a gorilla named Amare, who became so engrossed in the screens that his behavior began to change. Similar concerns were raised at the San Diego Zoo, where officials also discouraged visitors from distracting gorillas with their phones.

Conclusion: Stay natural

The Toronto Zoo’s underlying message is clear: when you visit, let the gorillas be who they are. Rather than trying to connect with them through screens, guests are encouraged to observe the gorillas in their natural behavior. After all, it’s these authentic moments that create the deepest connection with these incredible creatures.

Screens for research purposes

In a fascinating study in Japan, researchers examined the memory performance of chimpanzees compared to humans using a number sequence game. The experiment involved young chimpanzees and university students who had to recall and correctly order numbers that appeared on a screen for a brief moment and then faded away. Amazingly, the chimpanzees outperformed their human counterparts, showing remarkable short-term memory skills. The most impressive of these chimpanzees, Ayumu, became famous for his ability to remember the sequences with near-perfect accuracy, even when the numbers were only displayed for a fraction of a second. This study challenges traditional views of human cognitive superiority and suggests that our closest living relatives may have evolved certain memory skills that surpass even our own.

As we increasingly rely on smartphones for quick bursts of information, entertainment, and social interaction, our brains become accustomed to rapidly switching from one piece of content to the next. This habit can impair our ability to concentrate for long periods of time and make it difficult to think deeply and sustainably. In contrast, the chimpanzees in the memory study, who were not burdened by such distractions, demonstrated levels of concentration that allowed them to excel at tasks requiring short-term memory. This suggests that while technology is convenient, it may also be interfering with our natural cognitive strengths, highlighting the importance of conscious use to maintain our mental abilities.

Back to Monke

The “Return to Monke” movement is a tongue-in-cheek internet phenomenon that taps into a nostalgic longing for a simpler, more primal existence. Originally a meme, it playfully advocates for abandoning the complexities of modern life and instead embracing a more primitive, carefree way of life, much like our ancestors. Often illustrated with imagery of monkeys and references to “rejecting humanity” in favor of a more instinctive life, this movement has gained traction as a form of humorous social commentary. While it’s all in good fun, “Return to Monke” speaks to those who feel overwhelmed by the pressures of modern society, highlighting a desire to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature in a world that often feels increasingly complicated.