Chimpanzees are badly misunderstood because of the way they are portrayed as funny or entertaining, say researchers.
The wrong impression given of the apes could be threatening their survival in the wild, as well as endangering those kept in captivity – and their owners, it is claimed.
Chimps have a long history in films and TV adverts, such as the famous series promoting PG Tips tea.
Many are also kept as pets. In the US, where owning a chimp is legal in most states, an estimated 100 are housed in basements, garages and back yards.
Pop star Michael Jackson had a chimp called Bubbles who slept in a cot in the singer’s bedroom and once accompanied him to tea with a Japanese mayor.
But in reality chimps are a far cry from the popular perception of them as nature’s clowns.
Steve Ross, founder of Project ChimpCare and an ape expert at Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, stressed that adult chimpanzees are powerful, aggressive, and highly dangerous.
Because of this, the “acting” careers of chimps typically last only a few years before they became too large, strong and unmanageable.
“Because chimpanzees can live up to 50 to 60 years, those deemed no longer useful in the media may end up in sub-optimal housing for the next several decades,” said Dr Ross.
Bubbles matured into an aggressive adult who was too much for the average pop star to handle.
He was eventually sent to a California animal sanctuary, and then to his present home, the Centre for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida.
Chimpanzees have vanished from at least three African countries and are nearing extinction in many others.
But a US study led by Dr Ross, published last week in the online journal Public Library of Science One, found that people were likely to regard chimpanzees as not endangered after seeing them portrayed with humans.
They were also more inclined to believe the apes could make suitable pets.
The researchers used composite digital images to test people’s reactions to chimpanzees in different circumstances.
“The findings are particularly relevant considering the public popularity of advertisements, movies and TV programmes featuring chimpanzee actors,” said Dr Ross. “These practices have received broad criticism based on animal welfare concerns.
“The inaccurate and frivolous portrayal of these complex and endangered primates should be of serious concern to anyone interested in animal care and safety.
“Whether intentional or not, these images are resulting in significant effects on perceptions of chimpanzees that may hinder critical conservation and welfare initiatives that most of the public support.”