Listening after the animals: sound and pastoral care in the zoo

In anthropology and across the humanities social sciences, zoos have tended to be theorized as places of spectacle. Scholars often focus on ways in which these institutions enable viewing other-than-human animals by human publics. This article, however, uses sound-focused ethnographic fieldwork engage with two UK describe a particular mode cross-species listening is enacted zookeepers. The concepts pastoral care control discussed Foucault applied zoo context Braverman are productively reworked reorientated order understand this form listening. article also demonstrates interconnectedness keeper, visitor, animal sound worlds, process generating an original perspective that complements enriches conventional studies. Entendre les animaux : son et soins pastoraux au Résumé L'anthropologie, comme autres sciences humaines sociales, théorise souvent des lieux de Beaucoup chercheurs s'intéressent à la manière dont ces établissements permettent visiteurs humains d'observer qu'humains. Le présent s'appuie quant lui sur un travail ethnographique terrain axé le pour décrire particulier d’écoute interspécifique pratiqué par personnel deux du Royaume-Uni. Les soin pouvoir pastoraux, exposés mis en pratique dans contexte Bravermann, sont revisités façon productive réorientés éclairer cette forme d’écoute. L'article met évidence interconnexions entre univers sonores soigneurs, animaux, créant ainsi point vue qui complète enrichit études classiques zoos. It warm, sunny morning Paignton. zoo, one main visitor attractions southwest English seaside town, opened at 10.00 a.m. but isn't busy yet; just few family groups moving along path leads up from entrance, edge Asiatic lions’ outdoor enclosure past area where several owls display. One sits high perch. flits (to ears) noiselessly onto branch nearby tree, then still again. Not everything quiet, however. lion roaring very loudly frequently, so much can't help wondering what might causing him roar much. Is normal, or something wrong? What keepers, who know zoo's lions well, making they surely must hearing? After all, can heard right well beyond its boundaries. visitors passing remarking it too. A parent exclaims: ‘That's lion. Toby! That's lion! Can you hear it? Rah!’ visit strikingly multi-sensory experience. We easily included, for instance, vignette about smell Ape House, we found lingered our clothes hours even days, warmth humidity Crocodile Swamp exhibit, and/or feel snake skin cheetah fur biofacts Education Centre. Zoos, tend conceptualized sites spectacle, (hereafter ‘animals’) displayed viewed (e.g. Acampora 2005: 74; Berger 1980: 23; Bishop 2004; 2011; 2012; 2013: 71-91; Hanson 2002; Malamud 2012: 115-29; 2015: 399-404; Mullan & Marvin 1987). points asymmetrical power relationships underpin optical configuration (2015: 400). He argues spectatorship over reflects reproduces state ‘power, privilege, isolation difference rest nature’ 401). Others identify anthropocentric, imperialist, patriarchal inflection zoological gaze, through association colonialist expansion associated desire dominate (Acampora 83; Baratay Hardouin-Fugier 2002: 13). cautions, though, ‘is not monolithic vision’. ‘filled multiple frames reference, means sense object display; produces multi-layered interpretations continuously unfold’ (2004: 108). Studying responses captive gorillas Taronga Zoo, she observes reflect back gazes those come look them, triggering varied 120). describes as, among other things, encounter, possible gaze upon, meet another species (2002: 185). his photo essay animals, Winogrand (2004) draws attention strangeness absurdity mutual interspecies gazing New York's Central Park Zoo. research based was conducted between September 2018 March 2020 part project aiming draw complex multi-sensoriality sound. involved variety sound-orientated activities England: Paignton Bristol.11 entitled ‘Listening Zoo’. Bristol Zoos both belong British Irish Association Aquariums (BIAZA). employed ‘phonographic methods’, carefully environments within zoos, conducting walks, audio recordings (Gallagher Prior 2014). analysed references sounds signage information provided species, examined use recorded exhibits. addition, ‘sound ethnography’ interviews keepers participant members staff had direct contact such exhibitors, rangers, veterinary teams (Rice 2019). These people responsibilities various taxonomic mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates) were asked role their work. theme repeatedly emerged importance caring animals. ‘Looking after’ them ‘listening practice present article. her book Zooland: institution captivity, how, since 1970s, increasingly emphasized contribution education conservation (the latter evidenced by, participation breeding programmes), commitment welfare standards (2013: 17). At same time being exhibited (exposed presented visitors), therefore, contemporary subject intense visual monitoring staff. subsequent simultaneous record keeping detailed documentation diets, health, reproduction, 91). Braverman's discussion Foucault's work metaphor shepherd relation 19-23; see 2007 [1978]: 115-253). developed popular Christian priest religious leader shepherd: is, someone monitors, manages, generally looks after flock (of humans). tells us ‘[p]astoral care, flock, individuals sees sheep do suffer, goes search strayed off course, treats injured’ (2007 127, emphasis added). achieved surveillance, aims awareness whole individual: ‘[T]he keep [or her] eye all each’ 128, acknowledges surveillance has negative connotations evokes ‘an image authoritarian control’, own work, explains, explore understudied property panoptic surveillance: instance care’ 20). emphatically nature outlined adopted striking. However, scholars noted used complement diversify operation Bull Back 2003: 5; Cardoso 2019; Cusick 276, 288; Tebbutt 2011). find auditory integrated visual, too, exercise forms considered care. Rice (2003; 2013), described nurses hospital wards England monitor environment while directed towards tasks. They listen indications whether medical equipment working properly not, make judgements required, ensure interaction remains orderly. Gallagher (2010; 2011) explored how support exercised teachers primary school children, panaural accompanying panoptic. contexts, understood aid figure ‘looking – controlling charges. facilitates herding ‘flock’ desired goal, namely achievement health management conducive, disciplined treatment learning, respectively. Bells allow shepherds collect movement shepherds’ flocks, without having them. On many occasions, I inside small storage shed, he would suddenly go out grazing nearby. Upon return, explain me going astray check. Listening bells, gather more every morning, milk ‘keep ear’ Although did hang bells always case inclined stray … Each identity. tell if certain bell, hence animal, missing (2003: 643). literal kind. spans spectrum ‘literalness’. Seeing containing enclosures designed optimum conditions, when eat, interact socially, reproduce, recognition name represent kind elementary surveillance. network North American wider reflections Buffalo, manages data grand scale sophisticated systems (Braverman 92-4). ostensibly prosaic (and, will see, zookeepers) seem distant mechanisms ‘dataveillance’ (Clarke 1988). ‘Keeping does, that, some way big multi-zoo cooperation, sustained diffuse. indirect almost passive, allowing elsewhere otherwise occupied, simultaneously gathering well-being herd, troop, whatever appropriate collective nouns be. most crucial aspects Foucauldian analysis utilizes which, turn, here, then, are: (a) pastoralism needn't metaphorical insightful (it usefully actual animals); (b) centrally provision expand examining particularities after’, connections context. Our specific zookeepers; listeners, sonically entangled. Indeed, emphasize distributed facilitates. consider diverse registers sounding exceed, resist, by-pass regimes broadening sonic parameters acts after. product unfolding ‘species turn’ (Kirksey Helmreich 2010: 549). Influenced ideas post-humanist philosophy Deleuze Guattari 1987; Haraway 2003), science technology studies Latour 1999), environmental interdependency other-than-human, explores lives become entwined key zone ‘interspecies contact’ societies (Buller 2014: 314). focuses important medium mingle specificities co-produced. As contributes growing anthropological literature relations Cox 2017; Feld 1990; 1996; 2007; 2010; 2013; Samuels, Meintjes, Ochoa Porcello Schulze 2018). Some anthropology's turn humans cultural contexts interpret Menezes Bastos Whitehouse 2015). classic ethnography Kaluli Bosavi, Papua Guinea, example, (1990) group display knowledge calls songs local birds. suggests sounds, others occurring densely rainforested environment, constitutes ‘acoustemology’, acoustic ‘way knowing’ (1996: 96-8; 12). begins open acoustemology specifically time, extends human, emphasizing agency possess exercise, only co-creation presences nonhuman actors it. Calling ‘expanded listening’ Gallagher, Kanngieser, need ‘to outwards dominant anthropocentric understanding (2017: 618). bodies kinds, responsive resonate there multiple, subjects zoo. Animals play shaping maintaining sustains directs setting. For interview, arranged keeper entrance Zoo's Monkey Jungle exhibit. introductions, unlocked gate led set metal steps, short corridor into tiny office couple chairs, computer, desk covered paperwork. window looked walkthrough ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta). lying ledge, asleep sun. conversation unfolded, readily acknowledged during periodically interrupted corridor. explained off-show areas macaques (Macaca silenus) spider monkeys (Ateles hybridus). areas, allowed primates respite visiting public useful checks, adjacent occasionally antagonize each or, put it, ‘wind up’. monkeys, female, been hand-reared so, explained, ‘not confident monkeys’. sometimes made alarm calls, males current enclosure, upbringing, began express sexual interest that? happy noise monkeys. OK. kissy-face [half-laugh]. So take sign everything's OK there? Yes, nice calm minute. Later, noise, metallic area. quickly down corridor, explaining particularly investigate produced fiddling catches parts enclosures. occasion, appeared caused dropped piece enrichment structure. During later member referred office, ear nearby: ‘Our shed are. You're aware normal vocalizations your are, that's little bit ordinary, obviously get what's on’. There clear similarities here keepers’ Panopoulos (2003). Both distance view difficult. Structures impose restrictions hut does shepherd. (Keepers access CCTV feeds screens monitored times behaviours breeding.) Certain indicate invite scrutiny potentially action intervene. shepherd, concerned ascertaining location goats, especially stray. quite concern spatial Their charges unlikely move allocated though trying locate large enclosure. haste mentioned above shows zookeepers, like shepherds, testing limits constraint. zookeepers’ (and Greek shepherds) Pinch Bijsterveld call ‘monitory listening’, argue type ‘mode’ determine wrong (2012: 14). Monitory identified of, car mechanics (Krebs 2012), scientific researchers sonified (Supper 2012). ubiquitous listening, familiar ever responsibility young child, dog, complicated machinery, instance. whom spoke built familiarity conditions knew institutional routines corresponded repertoires typically Phrases ‘[y]ou're are’ ‘if ordinary’ ambient sensitivity intrusive, active scrutinizes behaviour, benign otherwise. lighter, broader, selective. differs keeper's intentioned feed. provoked didn't emerge silence: ‘[T]here's on, noises; you're noises situation. And think, like, it's subconscious, way’. learned settle behind immediate monitory non-conscious breakages irregularities, problem ‘the world announces itself’ completes purpose (Heidegger 2001 [1927]: 105). They'll [keepers] think something's right, perhaps interacting usually would, maybe feeding dominating food resource, discuss concerns. So, [Panthera leo persica], male lion, say he's vocal normally, became less sound, unwell. vet pointed gibbons (Hylobates lar) ‘naturally vocal’ vocalizing feeling ‘below par’. problems indicated absence Another responsible amphibians asked: ‘If walk Amphibian Ark silent, ?’ She cut in, ‘Yeah, worry you. You'd “Ah, right.” If frogs weren't calling, single day, you'd “Oh, on? Are temperatures wrong?”’ cases, ‘quiet’ brings breakage non-conscious, passive instigating response. [i]f scared worried, they'll distinct obvious [compared] make, you'll they're upset by; check OK, anything bit. thought serious problems, demanded attention. intervention, triggered capacity discriminate different kinds allows conceptualize explicitly initiation response direction assistance. themselves expressing discontent; proactively break norm. Whether addressing directly, communicating overhearing, stimulate galvanize Drawing Latourian notions 1999: 180), therefore participate mobilization enactment detail below. represents knowing space inhabit aspect ‘acoustemology’ (Feld 1996). operate somewhat automatic manner, no affectively disengaged. imbued strong frequently accompanied concern. told although felt zookeeping enjoyable rewarding job, carried ‘massive responsibility’. represented valuable financial assets paid genetic terms, die, said, blamed. result, highly attuned alert subtlest signs amiss. Several affection charge. cared about, for, Van Dooren writes whilst ‘practical labour’ involving concrete actions, ‘affective state’ (2014: 291; following Puig Bellacasa 197). ‘[T]o affected another: emotionally stake way’ (van 291). practical labour, application sensory skill reveal Of care-full peculiar discipline zookeeper, itself arises represents, relates purposes institution. indicates, stress conservation. mission statement, Zoo education, charity dedicated protecting global wildlife heritage inspiring respect plants environment’ (Wild Planet Trust n.d.). declares aim save engaging natural world’ (Bristol Zoological Society situ projects fundraising supports projects. programmes endangered species. such, skills orientated securing future viability ‘flocks’ collection, and, extension, populations networks populations. personal discipline, orientation audition align institution's goals. extension (but embodiment enactment) duty doing well. You somebody bang glass off, thing. happens? ‘Would came knocked window? [chuckles] irritating'. depends annoying conciliatory you've stop. lemur problematic: ‘Because walkthrough, guests lot disturb lemurs, sure levels guests’ side well’. While visually orientated, visiting, because activity, noisy. (rather than animal) imagine turns exclaiming, commenting, appreciating, discussing, explaining, reading aloud signage, on. From children shrieks excitement, adults, ‘zoological gaze’ noisy (Franklin 62). Many interviewees said believed ‘desensitized’, ‘used to’, ‘acclimatized to’ (indeed, news reports quoted claiming unsettled quiet resulting Covid-19 lockdown closures). further expression complexities suggested loud expressions excitement welcome indication succeeding getting interested engaged recognized interviewed, sound-sensitive sudden, loud, unfamiliar could affect hide visitors. captivity makes difficult escape disturbances altogether. Visitors tapping source irritation exasperation keepers. frightened disturbed deliberate attempt provoke reaction animals.22 question whether, bangs taps perceived rather tactile sensations here. F