Wildlife conservation groups say animals that users take photos with at tourists sites can suffer from human contact.
Instagram is sending a message against the behavior that pops up if users click on hashtags like #koalaselfie or #tigerpet.
More than 3,000 posts with #koalaselfie already exist on the platform, but Instagram won't be banning the photos.
Instead, the new warning is intended to educate users about their interactions with the environment.