Zoo urges visitors not to let gorillas watch phone videos

The Toronto Zoo says it wants “gorillas to be gorillas.” Credit: Steve Russell/Toronto Star

A teenage gorilla was so engrossed in a video he was shown by zoo visitors that it affected his relationship with his family.

Toronto Zoo officials demand that mobile phones not be used to show monkey content that distracts them, adding that they wish “gorillas could be gorillas.”

Holly Ross, behavioral animal husbandry supervisor at the zoo, said: “When our guests come to the zoo, we we want them to be able to see gorillas in a very natural state and what they do naturally to kind of connect with them on that level.”

Signs have been placed around the monkey enclosures to remind visitors to follow the new rules, as “some content may be upsetting and affect their relationships and behavior in the family.”

Toronto Zoo says Nasir, 13, is very interested in videos of other animals. Photo: Rick Madonik/Toronto Star

According to Ms. Ross, a gorilla named Nasir is delighted with the videos he is shown.

The zoo's website says 13-year-old Nasir is “the epitome of a teenager” who is “fascinated by video and would have dominated his life with screen time if he had his way.”

Zoo officials said. he hasn't noticed a major change in behavior but will be monitoring Nasir to make sure it stays that way.

“We don't really want our guests to come and show them the video. We would rather see them do things like gorillas,” said Ms. Ross.

“Nasir in particular was very interested in watching different videos. I think it was mostly videos with other animals. But I think what really matters is that he can just hang out with his brother and be a gorilla.”

Around the enclosures with monkeys in the zoo, signs were posted to remind visitors to follow the rules. Photo: Richard Lautens/Toronto Star.

Last year in San Diego, a monkey was seen trying to use a phone after it fell into an enclosure.

CCTV footage in China showed a monkey picking up a phone from the floor of an apartment and flipping through it . The owner of the phone told the media that the monkey managed to empty its online shopping cart in one go.

The Chicago Zoo was recently forced to lay a rope line a few feet from a glass partition between patrons and visitors. after experts noticed that monkeys who were distracted by their phones began to show behavioral changes.