Animals will continue falling victim to preventable injury and death for as long as humans are selfish in their desire to feel close to wildlife. The sad part is that it’s the same story we hear repeatedly. Another person enters an enclosure, approaches an animal, or gets just a bit too close, thinking their presence will change the nature of the animal. As with all other cases, these situations end one way… with an endangered animal being killed.

This describes the situation at Naples Zoo on December 30th, 2021, when a contract maintenance worker hired to clean the restrooms and gift shop entered an unauthorized part of the zoo in an attempt to pet the male Malayan tiger. As the man stuck his arm into the enclosure, the tiger bit his arm and pulled the man partially inside. At this point, the man called the police seeking help. Upon arrival, the sheriff was forced to fatally shoot the critically endangered animal to get it to release the man’s arm.

The man survived the attack; however, he may face criminal charges for his actions. This is partly for trespassing into an area of the zoo he was unauthorized to enter and partly because of the status of the animal he interacted with. The Malayan tiger is critically endangered, with only around 300 individuals left in the world. Every individual lost in the species is massive devastation.

Misconceptions About Captive Wildlife Behavior

You can take the animal out of the wild, but you can’t take the wild out of the animal. Whether in zoos, sanctuaries, or tourist traps worldwide, humans are prone to underestimating other species. We assume that they have been domesticated somehow or enjoy human interaction due to their exposure to humans. This faulty belief gets us into trouble when it instills a confidence that brings us or the species in question into trouble.

It is fair to believe that this man would not have walked up to a wild tiger in hopes of petting it, so what made the evening at the zoo different? This comes down to a lack of awareness about animal behavior. We must understand that wild animals have instincts regardless of their environment. A tiger that has lived in a zoo or rescue center will still have the same aggressive instinct to attack species that get too close, just like they have an instinct to hunt as wild tigers do.

The number of times situations like this have occurred in the United States suggests that much of the population has an overall lack of understanding about and respect for wildlife.

Wildlife Education to Prevent Extinction

One of the fundamental missions of zoos is to educate and allow their species to serve as ambassadors. In this, zoos do their best to communicate an animal's natural behaviors so that guests can infer why we cannot interact closely with that species. This is a considerable benefit of zoos as they can educate and inspire in a way that others cannot. Many are captivated and eager to give back to conservation work after seeing animals they usually wouldn’t be able to see in person.

However, it seems that the message is being lost in translation somewhere along the way. If the education system is in place to prevent these incidents, where are we going wrong?

The Human Desire to Connect with Wildlife

Humans have a desire to feel close to and connect with wildlife in a way that feels meaningful. We all want to understand animals, and this can enter into a place of feeling like they, too, want to understand and be loved by us. The problem is that belief comes from the ego, not a place of realism. When we project our human emotions and perceptions onto other species, we incorrectly assess them and their desires.

Maybe these feelings are instilled into us through media like Jungle Book, Dr. Doolittle, and other popular movies that depict humans having meaningful relationships with animals. These movies can bring up the feeling that we want to be the “chosen one” by a wild animal. The person who can pet a tiger and know that that animal loves us. The person who can walk up to a wild gorilla and receive its respect. Unfortunately, these fictional movies have caused us to view animal behavior unrealistically.

Wild animals are just that— wild. Most species avoid all confrontation with humans and enter into a fight or flight mode when approached. For large predators like tigers, their instinct is to fight. That’s why images of humans interacting closely with wildlife are often misleading. When seeing images that depict close interaction online, it’s important to remember that this is not the norm. A close relationship with a wild animal usually comes in a rehabilitation setting out of necessity or individual trauma. It is not healthy for wild animals to desire human interaction, so in rescue and rehab centers, it’s managed very carefully to avoid any attachments occurring.

When these images come from tourist traps like tiger petting facilities around Asia, for example, it’s vital to remember that this is unnatural and against the animal's will. These animals are chained and often drugged so that they’ll be docile enough for such exploitation. Unfortunately, this type of media circulating in the world has led to events like the tragedy at the Naples Zoo.

Until we commit to understanding animals for what they are, instead of what we want them to be, they will never be safe from human negligence.

How to Prevent Future Conflict with Wildlife

Future conflict can be avoided through proper exposure to animal education. The media we consume plays a massive role in misconceptions, and luckily, we can all do our part in changing trends in mainstream media. When using apps like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok, be aware of the kinds of content you’re interacting with. By encouraging exploitative or abusive content creation from other accounts, we ensure that more people see an unrealistic way of interacting with wildlife. Apart from the trauma these experiences give to the animal in the shot, it can significantly impact the way people perceive a species.

Do what you can to educate and share content aligned with ethical wildlife interactions that shine a light on actual animal behavior. When watching movies that depict an unrealistic animal friendship, talk to your children and those you influence about the context of the film. Pair these with actual accounts of animal stories like documentaries to see what’s real. The way we educate future generations will determine the kind of relationship we’ll have with other species on our planet.

There are so many ways we can all do our part to indirectly reduce the chances of incidences like this happening again. Because at the end of the day, even when we are in the wrong, the animal is always the one who ultimately pays for the negative interaction.