From ark to sanctuary: In search of a new identity for Zoos

Abstract

This article offers a critical reflection on so-called ethically oriented zoos, which, at least since the 1970s, often under the banner of contemporary Noah’s arks, have sought to move into the position of new institutions of nature conservation. In the following sections, I argue that the limitations inherent in the metaphor of the ark – e.g. anthropocentrism – as well as the contradictions apparent for the modern zoo, stemming from, among other things, the biopolitical valuation of species or the logic of profitability, prove to be a significant obstacle to adopting a more resolute stance towards the sixth extinction and mass defaunation. I see an opportunity to transcend these limitations in the process of ‘becoming a sanctuary’, which, through a genuine interest in wounded nonhuman life and collaboration with the animal rights movement, may be seen as a harbinger of a broader sector-wide change. The article consists of three main parts. In the first, I outline the cultural history of the ark metaphor, which in the case of zoos is rooted in the work of Carl Hagenbeck. In the second, I highlight its shortcomings, pointing out that these not only undermine the new model of zoo justification but also often influence the ineffectiveness of their conservation efforts. Finally, in the third section, I look at the alternative narratives and modes of functioning of institutions with similar tasks to the zoo, with a particular focus on the interventionist activities of the Poznań Zoo.