"Fearing the Gull" a digital mash-up poster -by R. Michael Fisher 2017
For the last 2+ months I have been working on a research project, using my arts-based inquiry approach, plus my naturalist (birder) approaches, and a whole lot of other philosophical thinking and analysis as to why humans insist on using "animal distress calls" that are recorded and mounted in public spaces to scare away unwanted species (e.g., my study involves the Ring-billed and California Gull species in the N.E. part of Calgary, Alberta, Canada). I believe there is a strong metaphor and teaching to be had from critically examining how humans [1] so easily turn wildlife into "the Other" (i.e., a "fear of the Other") complex patterning of relationship, which allows humans to then justify the most subtle and gross brutalities.
This blog is not an explanation of this project, and recall it is only in its infancy, but I will tell you how it got started and where it is emerging in direction. This past summer, as I was riding my bicycle down a busy street in N.E. Calgary, just 1/2 block from the Peter Loughheed Hospital, I heard gull voices (one or more) that were nearby but I couldn't quite tell where. They were stark and loud and sounded like a predator was eating a bird alive. That's exactly my intuition and my experience of listening to wild animals of all kinds all my life. I can tell "distress" (emotions) often in the call and behaviors. But because I could not see anything, I only could go on the basis of sound that something very painful (i.e., suffering) is happening to a fellow creature in my midst. But where is it? How can I help?
I stopped and listened and then got a sense of the direction it was coming from. It was in a huge parking lot of a commercial business (who's name I won't reveal at this point). I spent several minutes riding in between buildings and parked cars, and could not see anything. In fact, I noticed I wasn't seeing even a gull of any kind. Just people going in and out of their cars and into the commercial building to buy things. The sound of the gull was piercing at times. I began to think this was perhaps up on the high roof top and beyond my ability to see what was going on. I did notice the stark gull crying sounds of distress cycled and changed. Stopped momentarily completely, then started up (seemingly with a 30 sec. or so periodicity). I had to go to an appointment so left. And I felt disturbed.
Many hours later that day I rode back home and passed this same area. The same sound was going on, same intensity, etc. I thought this is impossible to be a sequence in Nature, but it was man-made, and surely must be a recording coming from the roof top of one or more buildings in that vicinity. Over the months I have re-visited and noticed the sound remaining, and noticed how far away it travelled (that's another story). I interviewed one employee at this building where I pretty much tracked down the origin of the sound recording. That's all I'll share at this point, but it really stirred up my blood and I've been investigating the use of "bird distress calls" or "nuisance" animal management techniques using "distress calls" and/or "predator calls." Clearly, the business in question wanted to scare away (frighten) the gulls in their parking lot and on top of their large flat roof surface. This business is not the only one doing this kind of thing. There are lots of studies on this. There are not enough studies on the impacts psychologically or physiologically of long-term exposure to these distress call recordings in public and or natural areas. I am deeply concerned about the effects of using "fear" to manage wildlife and/or to manage a business!
If you have any insights or info. on this, share it on the FM ning or with me by email: r.michaelfisher52[at]gmail.com
I will be taking creative and strong action on the results of this research to prevent the unnecessary spread of "fear" ("distress") in our public spaces in this area of the city... and, beyond.
Notes:
1. By "humans" I am generalizing, and in particularly focusing on modern, urbanized, humans overall; thus, I would exclude humans that follow the traditional Indigenous worldview in relation to their ancestors (all beings).
