Posting a selfie on Twitter, Rihanna inadvertently helped Thai police arrest two men for trafficking endangered species. While presumably an embarrassing incident for the singer, even if it did end up being helpful, this could be an opportunity for her to help stop the brutal trade.
The various species of slow loris are under threat, with capture of the little primates for the pet trade and to pose with unwitting tourists being a major cause.
The animals are mutilated after capture, with their venomous teeth cut off or ripped out. In a state of pain and terror, most die soon afterwards of blood loss, infection or malnutrition.
Tourists, and it seems international celebrities, don’t know this, but their posing for those “cute” pictures encourages tremendous suffering and helps push the slow lorises to the edge of extinction.
Somebody as well known and influential as Rihanna could turn an embarrassing moment into an inspiring one by fronting a campaign against the trade.
Ask Rihanna to help save the slow loris.
We the undersigned ask that you consider joining or fronting a campaign to stop the illegal trade in slow lorises, which we believe would have a tremendous impact in publicizing this cruel practice.
People buying the animals as pets or posing with them for pictures don’t have any idea of the cruelty involved or that the animals are endangered. We think somebody as influential as yourself could make a huge difference through raising awareness, and it certainly wouldn’t harm your image.
Please consider adding your voice to the campaigns against the illegal trade in slow lorises.
Thank you for your attention.
