Darcy’s Wild Life Misinforms Viewers About Chimpanzees

A recent episode of Darcy’s Wild Life, which airs on Discovery Kids on NBC, featured a chimpanzee named Baron. On the show, Baron, portrayed as a former “actor,” is depressed because he misses show business, so he is placed in a commercial for a car dealership. The ad is such a hit that it is decided that he will stay at the car dealership and continue appearing in ads for the company.

Not only was a live chimpanzee used in the show but the plot also sends the message to children that these animals enjoy “acting,” which, in reality, is confusing and unnatural to them and often even abusive.

Please send a polite letter to the senior vice president and general manager of Discovery Kids to educate her about the cruelty inherent in forcing chimpanzees to perform and ask that she ensure that more enlightened and compassionate messages be portrayed on the show in the future:

Marjorie Kaplan
Senior Vice President and General Manager
Discovery Kids Channel
Discovery Communications
850 Third Ave.
New York, NY 10022
212-548-5070
212-548-5555 (fax)
Marjorie_Kaplan@discovery.com