Definition

Coined after Disney’s 1942 movie, Bambi, “The Bambi effect” is used to refer to how humans seem to have a stronger opposition to killing animals that are considered “cute”, wanting to “protect them at all costs, even to the detriment of the wider ecosystem during times such as overpopulation” (Grieze, 2018).

With the ecosystem level implications of overprotecting charismatic fauna together with neglecting the rest of the unattractive components of the ecosystem, “The Bambi Effect” can potentially lead to much unintended damage to the stability of ecosystems.