.png)
In a dense Indonesian jungle, where life was bananas (quite literally), an unassuming crested black macaque named Naruto achieved something most of us mere humans aspire to—he went viral. No TikTok dance, no YouTube channel, just a winning smile and a borrowed camera. Little did Naruto know, his jungle photo shoot would catapult him into a legal drama worthy of a Netflix series. Grab your snacks, because this monkey business is wilder than you think.
How It All Began: Smile for the Selfie Camera
It was 2011, and British photographer David Slater was on a jungle expedition, chasing wildlife and a dream of capturing “the perfect shot.” Enter Naruto, a cheeky macaque with a flair for the dramatic. When Slater set down his camera, Naruto saw an opportunity to shine brighter than any influencer. He pressed the shutter, creating what we now know as the selfie heard round the world !
The photo was spectacular: a toothy grin, bright eyes, and the perfect angle. It was like Naruto had an internal ring light and years of practice with duck-face selfies. Slater, understandably, was thrilled. “This is it,” he likely thought. “My ticket to fame.” And he wasn’t wrong—he just didn’t know how bumpy the ride would be.
Going Viral: Monkey See, Monkey Do (Sue)
When the selfie hit the internet, it exploded faster than a controversial tweet. Publications around the globe featured the image, dubbing it the Monkey Selfie. Slater claimed credit, stating his hard work in setting up the camera made him the rightful copyright owner. But the internet had other ideas. “How can a human own a monkey’s work?” netizens questioned. “That’s speciesism!”
Things escalated quickly. Slater found himself not only fighting for his copyright but also defending his dignity. Then came the curveball: PETA, the animal rights organization, jumped in and filed a lawsuit on behalf of Naruto. Yes, you read that right. A monkey had his day in court—or at least, his name did.
PETA to the Rescue: The Legal Circus Begins
In 2015, PETA filed a lawsuit in the U.S., asserting that Naruto was the rightful owner of the selfie. Their argument was simple: Naruto took the photo, so Naruto owns the copyright. It was a groundbreaking claim—one that could redefine how we view intellectual property. Or, as skeptics put it, “This is peak internet absurdity.”
Slater, probably nursing a headache the size of a coconut, countered that the photo wouldn’t exist without his efforts. He argued that he set up the camera, adjusted the settings, and created the conditions for Naruto’s artistic masterpiece. PETA fired back, essentially saying, “But did you press the button? No? Case closed.”
Legal Bananas: The Courtroom Chronicles
The case, Naruto v. Slater, was like watching a courtroom drama where the lead actor refuses to speak (because, well, he’s a monkey). Legal experts debated whether animals could own copyrights under U.S. law. Spoiler alert: the answer was no.
In 2016, the court dismissed the case, stating that copyright laws do not extend to animals. To be fair, the law doesn’t cover a lot of things animals do, like stealing snacks or ruining picnic tables, so this wasn’t entirely surprising.
But PETA wasn’t ready to throw in the banana towel. They appealed the decision, taking it to the Ninth Circuit Court. Meanwhile, the rest of us were left wondering: How does one explain this legal saga to future generations? “Well, sweetie, once upon a time, a monkey took a selfie, and grown adults fought about it for years.”
The Final Verdict: Monkey Business Settled
In 2018, the Ninth Circuit Court put the case to rest. The ruling? Naruto could not claim copyright because, drumroll, animals don’t have legal standing in court. The judges probably sighed in relief as they typed out that decision, knowing they’d never have to revisit this jungle soap opera.
To add a final twist, Slater and PETA reached a settlement. Slater agreed to donate 25% of any future revenue from the photo to charities that protect crested black macaques. A poetic ending? Maybe. A bizarre one? Absolutely.
Conclusion: A Smile Worth a Thousand Laughs
The Monkey Selfie case will forever be remembered as one of the internet’s greatest legal oddities. It’s a story of a monkey with impeccable timing, a photographer with bad luck, and a lawsuit that made us all question the meaning of creativity.
Naruto may not own the copyright to his iconic grin, but he’s certainly earned a place in our hearts—and in the the book of internet history. So next time you’re out in the wild, remember: if a monkey grabs your camera, you’re not just risking your equipment—you might also be risking years of legal shenanigans.
And that, dear reader, is why we love the internet !