Social Media and Wildlife

In 2013, there was a large uproar from many users on social media after photos were posted of a hunter posing with his kill. The death of Cecil the lion angered activists, celebrities, and every-day people alike. It seemed as though every time you went on Twitter or Instagram, somebody had posted something on the death of the animal or a story about the man who killed him. Karen Kirkpatrick’s article “More Than a Hashtag: Can Social Media Help Save Endangered Species?” examines the impact social media has on poaching and endangered species.

As long as there have been companies and organizations, there has been a presence of conservationists and wildlife protectors advocating for their beliefs. I believe these organizations do well on social media. The issues they post on social media is the perfect content to grab attention and have other users share. The posts contain emotional content. By using emotional content, it is easier to grab a reader’s attention. The information can be lighthearted and encourage the reader to share with their friends or it could be serious and persuade the reader to donate to the fund or simply share the post to encourage others to donate.

 By using social media, the organization could gain a lot of attention. They could use their posts to help direct users to a problem or danger currently being faced by their area of interest. By not having social media accounts for activists and endangered species, people can remain ignorant of events not immediately happening to them. Social media helps to bring these issues to the forefront of the public’s attention. While the immediate followers of the organization may not be that large, posting to them could have a substantial impact. With the use of social media platforms, the immediate audience being reached would share with their followers, allowing a larger audience to be reached and causing a spread of information.  

While Kirkpatrick acknowledges the number of rhino poaching deaths have risen and the number of elephant poaching deaths are continuing at an unsustainable rate, she explains this is not a result of the organizations and activists use of social media. Elephants, lions and rhinos will continue having a difficult time surviving throughout the rest of their existence unless we begin making impactful and serious changes to the way we view and treat these animals. Many of the countries hoe to the exotic animals cannot fully fund the necessary requirements needed to protect the animals. By donating to organizations like 96 Elephants, the Columbus Zoo, and the Wildlife Society we can help to decrease the carnage of endangered animals.