Miley Cyrus Criticized for Endangering ‘Fragile’ Joshua Tree for Instagram Photos
Miley Cyrus posed on a nearly-endangered tree species for the 'Gram — and conservationists are infuriated.
The singer received a lot of criticism for her recent Instagram pics. The photos of controversy, either snapped in San Bernardino County or at the Joshua Tree National Park in California, show Cyrus posturing atop what's called a Joshua Tree. The "tree" is actually a fragile succulent, and park representatives have constantly advised visitors not lounge on them as such extra weight can potentially damage the desert plant, which is pending for a listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Cyrus clearly did not heed this warning before she used the tree for her photo shoot, below.
As expected, fans, locals and Joshua Tree National Park reps alike were not thrilled.
“Dude this photo and the fact that you are flaunting these actions are not only disrespectful to the earth and the people who care to protect it but it’s also either so incredibly ignorant or selfish of you to do,” one user commented on the shot.
“We don’t want to incite people to carry out some kind of threat against Miley Cyrus, or anybody else that would do that, spokesperson George Land said in a statement to Palm Springs Desert Sun. “We would just remind her that she has a big following, people watch what she does, and it would be greatly appreciated by the Park Service and the people around the area if she would maybe curb that type of activity, especially posting it on her social media page.”
Cyrus has not yet addressed the backlash.