Miley Cyrus is facing backlash after sharing pictures of herself lounging in a Joshua tree.
The 26-year-old singer has been sharing snaps of her exploits in Palm Springs, California, on her Instagram account in recent days, and took to the photo-sharing site to post an image of herself dressed in a floral bodysuit while perched in the tree on Monday (01Apr19).
"Looking down at all the pretty drama," Miley wrote in the caption. She then followed it with another picture, which showed her once again sitting in the tree, captioned: "Monkey Bizzzzznassssss (sic)."
And while some followers praised Miley for the picturesque shots, others were quick to slam her for posing on a Joshua tree - which can't sustain extra weight.
"I love you, but get off the damn yucca. They can’t sustain heavy weight, and your platform tells people it’s ok to get on trees. Our national parks are doomed," one wrote, while another added: "Do not climb Joshua trees. It is incredibly damaging to them. As a public figure it is your responsibility to set a good example to your followers so we can preserve these trees for generations to come."
A third urged Miley: "Don’t do this. Joshua trees are dying out because of their fragility, and folks climbing on them isn’t helping curb that. Delete this before more damage is done."
The Nothing Breaks Like A Heart singer had yet to delete the snaps when WENN went to press.
Following the backlash, Mojave Desert Land Trust Executive Director Geary Hund said in a statement that Joshua trees can easily be damaged by extra weight because of their shallow root system.
"We ask that Miley Cyrus consider her status as a public figure and remove this photo from her social media accounts in order to educate others and to prevent potential damage to Joshua trees," he added.
Joshua trees are protected in Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve and in several other locations around the city and county.
