For the Birds: Protecting Wildlife through the Naturalist Gaze

• In Event: 2210 - Presented Research Explores How Human and Non-human Animals Co-exist and Interact in Society

Abstract

Art historian John Berger asked, “Why look at animals?” In this paper, I ask, “How should people look at animals?” I argue that birders develop what I call the “naturalist gaze,” which comes from watching wildlife through the lens of what is in the best interest of the animals and the ecosystem in which they live. The naturalist gaze is informed by science, evaluative of ecosystems, concerned for wildlife, integrative in seeing the interconnectedness of humans and animals, instructive in teaching others how to view wildlife, and, of course, pleasurable. Because of their naturalist gaze, birders seek to appreciate birds in healthy habitats in the wild, and not in captivity. The naturalist gaze helps birders understand the power relations behind watching wildlife, and thus the naturalist gaze also informs birders’ code of ethics for watching birds in the wild. The naturalist gaze informs how birders view individual birds, bird populations, and birds’ and humans’ place in a shared ecosystem. This perspective also inspires birders to engage in wildlife and environmental conservation.

Author

• Elizabeth Cherry, Manhattanville College