Molly Cremin, Ellen Smith* and Susanna Felsenstein*
Background: Representations of animals are commonplace in children’s Hospitals. The distribution of animal species represented in toys, decorations and other utensils in pediatric practice though is unknown.
Methods: All animal representations in a large children’s Hospital in the English North West were counted and identified to species level where possible. A descriptive association of represented species, particularly of the charismatic megafauna, and threat levels experienced by similar species in the wild was compared.
Results: Wild animals predominated, being represented much more commonly than pets and other domesticated species. Animals of the charismatic megafauna found in the hospital experienced some level of threat in the wild, the majority we found included species that were critically endangered, facing a high risk of extinction.
Conclusion: Many of the animals that find representation in toys, movies, hospital decorations and utensils found abundantly in our Children’s Hospital belong to species that face imminent threat of extinction in the wild.
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