Using cute animals in pop culture makes public think they're not endangered – study

Proliferation of giraffes, lions, tigers and elephants in toy shops and films creates 'virtual population' and skews our perception

Animals such as elephants, tigers, lions and panda bears are everywhere in movies, books and toy stores. But their wide pop culture presence skews public perception of how endangered these animals really are, researchers say.

Online surveys, zoo websites, animated films and school questionnaires were scoured by US and French researchers for the study, published in journal PLOS Biology.