Social media can spread conservation messaging and mobilise positive change however it can also contribute to species exploitation through the publicising of low welfare animal tourism experiences and cause increases in tourism in protected areas (Bergman et al., 2022). Animals being used as photo props in a number of different tourist experiences is a concern for animal welfare as well as promoting false information about the needs and requirements of wild animals (Carder et al., 2018).
Low Welfare Animal Tourism
Social media has advertised and increased the accessibility of tourist experiences that encourage low welfare animal care. The growth of experiences such as wild animal cafes is, in part, due to the glamorisation of close contact experiences with wild animals on social media.(McMillan et al., 2020).
One study found that in 2019 as many as 60% of the animals in exotic animal cafes were CITES listed, meaning they are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. There are serious welfare concerns for these cafes, which do not provide animals with the minimum requirements for their care, have an increased risk of pathogen transmission and have consequences for biodiversity as they encourage the purchase of wild animals (Sigaud et al., 2023).
Increased pressure on wildlife hotspots
Geotagging on social media posts has been linked to increased number of visitors in biodiversity hotspots. Social media can encourage a large quantity of people to travel to specific locations and behave in ways which degrades the natural environment, and puts species at risk (Bergman et al., 2022).