The Nature of the Selfie

In the click-flash
of the storm-eye,
lens-prayers seek
proven witness –
hunger-thoughts spilling
over into green hearts,
to snatch bright wings
from shattered skies.
Here, in the still-morn
they bait their prey,
calling down air-wraiths
from their roosts of
flesh-turned-words.
Vein-roads trampled
beneath image quests,
as night-hunters
once cloaked in moon-glint
prostrate before the
ceaseless hum
of the bright-box –
devoid of life
yet full of tricks.

This poem is inspired by recent research, which has found that nature is at risk in the hunt for the perfect selfie.

The rise of social media has brought about a significant increase in nature tourism and photography, as people eagerly share their experiences online. While this trend has connected many to the natural world, it has also led to unintended consequences for wildlife and their habitats. The growing presence of humans in natural environments, often driven by the desire to capture and share the perfect image, is causing disruptions that can be harmful to native species. These disturbances range from direct impacts like scaring animals, disrupting their feeding or breeding, and increasing their vulnerability to predators, to indirect effects such as the spread of diseases and heightened poaching risks. Activities like using drones, playing animal calls, and baiting wildlife for photos have further exacerbated these issues, sometimes resulting in serious harm to plants and animals.

In response to these concerns, researchers have examined the specific ways in which social media use is affecting biodiversity. Their findings highlight that certain species are more vulnerable to these disturbances, particularly those that are rare, non-mobile, or limited to specific geographic areas. The study underscores the importance of developing ethical guidelines and stricter regulations to mitigate the negative impacts of social media on wildlife. By identifying the species most at risk, the researchers have proposed a framework to help protect these vulnerable taxa from the growing pressures of online-driven nature tourism and photography. This research is crucial as it provides a roadmap for balancing the public’s desire to engage with nature while ensuring the conservation of biodiversity.