Logically, since an animal can’t hold copyright, you’d think it would revert to the human who established the conditions under which the work was created? He left his camera sitting there, monkey picked it up and hit the button. I don’t see why it should be public domain exactly. Was it because it was a “happy accident” and not something the photographer specifically set up?
Let’s say I put a camera in my barn that’s triggered by one of our many mice tripping a switch on their way to some bait. Those mice have just as much concept of their actions as this monkey, but the copyright should go to me, since I created the mechanism for the picture to be taken.
Man, I’m glad I’m not a lawyer.
