For immediate release:
March 11, 2021
Contact:
Moira Collie 202-483-7382
Cleveland – Emmy Award-Winning Wildlife Documentary Producer Chris Palmer– who has written two books on the ethics of wildlife photography – sent a letter on behalf of PETA to Joe Arcuri, CEO of American Greetings in Cleveland, urging him to stop selling cards featuring “inappropriate, inaccurate and unethical” images of great apes, such as chimpanzees in costumes or people holding hands.
“Such images impede conservation efforts because they lead people to believe that great apes are not endangered when in fact they are,” writes Palmer. “These images are also driving the demand on the black market for monkeys as pets, which I’m sure you know is one of the main driving forces behind their extinction.”
Palmer has received two Emmy Awards and was nominated for an Oscar for his wildlife films for IMAX and Prime Time Television. His book Shooting in the wild– which removes the veil over the dark side of wildlife filmmaking, revealing an industry undermined by sensationalism, fabrication and animal cruelty – has been described by Jane Goodall as “a very important and much needed book.” He is Professor of Media and Film at the American University in Washington DC.
PETA, whose motto is in part that “the animals are not ours to be used for entertainment” – opposes arrogance, a worldview focused on human superiority. For more information please visit PETA.org or subscribe to the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram…
This is followed by a letter from Palmer to Arcuri.
Dear Mr. Arkuri,
I have dedicated my career to making wildlife films, won Oscar and Emmy nominations, and wrote two books on the ethics of wildlife photography.
I am writing to you because of American greeting cards featuring chimpanzees and other endangered great apes. As I’m sure you know that chimpanzees and orangutans are endangered, and I would be deeply grateful if you could use your influence to help prevent this extinction by stopping the sale of maps with inappropriate, inaccurate and unethical depictions of them.
Such images make conservation efforts difficult because they lead people to believe that great apes not are threatened with extinction, although in fact they are. Inaccurate, destructive depictions of great apes include those depicting animals in clothing or accessories, displayed in a studio or other human environment, or exhibiting unnatural behaviors and interactions with people, such as holding hands or holding hands. These images are also increasing the black market demand for monkeys as pets, which I am sure you know is one of the main driving forces driving them towards extinction.
If you took this step, you would be in good company. Chase Bank, Pfizer, TELUS and Capital One have adopted policies that ban the use of wild animals in their ads, and most of the leading advertising agencies, including BBDO, Ogilvy, and McCann, have banned the use of great apes. Leading stock image agencies such as Getty Images, Shutterstock, and Dreamstime ban inappropriate images of non-human primates. In addition, the Moon Pig dropped all images of the captured great apes.
I would appreciate it if American Greetings followed the new standard set by leading corporations by removing all unnatural, unethical, destructive and inappropriate images of chimpanzees and other great apes from their maps.
Thank you for reviewing this request.
Best wishes,
Professor Chris Palmer