Music stars Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z pictured with their daughter Blue Ivy and a tiger cub on a trip to Thailand in 2015

It is guaranteed to win “likes” from friends back home: the selfie showing you cuddling a monkey, lion cub or some other cute or exotic animal while on holiday.

Celebrities have fuelled the craze, with singer Justin Bieber sharing a picture of himself stroking a tiger and the reality TV star Khloé Kardashian posting one of herself hugging an orangutan.

Scientists and conservation groups have condemned the trend for “wildlife selfies”, saying it results in cruel treatment of animals and illegal trade in endangered species.

Now a Wildlife Selfie Code is being launched to help tourists avoid inadvertently fuelling the exploitation.

Instagram, used by 700 million people, is also facing demands to publish guidelines based on the code. The number of wildlife selfies posted on