Battersea Park Children's Zoo launches ShareSavvy Campaign

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo is proud to launch their very own campaign aimed at targeting the negative implications that irresponsible social media usage can have on the conservation of threatened species.

The #ShareSavvy campaign aims to educate the public on the influence social media can have on animal welfare and the illegal wildlife trade, providing an alternative, positive approach to social media usage.

A whole host of vulnerable species are increasingly at risk of poor care and ultimately extinction because of the footage we unknowingly share and promote on social media platforms. From exotic birds and primates to otters and big cats, simply sharing media without context can put the welfare of many animals at risk. Read more about how damaging this can be in Senior Keeper Lizzy Humphries' blog, linked here.

The Zoo's campaign invites organisations, institutions and charities to join in tackling this ever-growing issue. As a modern zoological facility they are always evolving to meet their mission statement, conserving species and educating the next generation.

The ShareSavvy campaign requires supporters to make six pledges, all aimed at meeting the campaign's target, and bettering the chances of our most vulnerable species.

The Six ShareSavvy Pledges:

1.  To educate visitors on the implications social media can have on wild animals.
2.  To engage the public with practical resources that encourage positive social media usage.
3.  To highlight the plight of the species most impacted by irresponsible social media usage.
4.  To hold an annual #ShareSavvy Saturday, on the first Saturday of August, Hosting a variety of activities to raise awareness of the impacts of irresponsible social media usage for wild animals.
5.  To create accessible resources and media to help the public navigate potentially irresponsible social media posts.
6.  To ensure our team understands the aims of the ShareSavvy campaign and can navigate their own social media usage in a responsible way.

On Saturday 3rd August the Zoo will host the first ever #ShareSavvySaturday. This day will feature a variety of activities and workshops at the zoo aimed at promoting positive social media usage in order to protect species vulnerable to exploitation on social media. A flowchart by BPCZ can be found here.

Organisations can help Battersea Park Children's Zoo in this campaign, to help in their mission to tackle the negative impacts of social media on conservation and animal welfare, by getting in touch with [email protected]