The abrupt halt we have all experienced at the hand of Covid19 serves as a stark reminder that humans are not separate from the animal world, but inextricably linked. ANIMOSITY, by award-winning environmental photojournalist, Aaron Gekoski, offers a snapshot of the main issues facing wildlife today, showcasing a collection of powerful photographs and absorbing tales from the frontlines of conservation- from wildlife tourism and the exotic pet trade, to the illegal wildlife trade and marine conservation.
Aaron Gekoski has spent the last decade as an environmental photojournalist, and since 2017 he has turned his camera on wildlife tourism, exposing the dire underworld of the animal entertainment industry.
From travelling circuses and elephant rides, to orangutan boxing venues and otter pet cafes, his journey documenting wildlife entertainment has taken him across four continents and to more than a dozen countries. | |
Left: A tiger, tethered to a short chain, has been used as a selfie prop for its entire life at Phuket Zoo in Thailand. |
But by April 2020, Covid19 had spread across the planet, and the tourism and travel industries of which we knew had collapsed. With countries closing boarders and venues shutting their doors, one can only imagine the conditions in which imprisoned animals are kept. There have been reports of lions left to starve at Gamji Gate Zoo in Kaduna, Nigeria, and accounts of starvation and lack of veterinary healthcare within Thailand’s captive elephant population, as the pandemic forced at least 85 camps to close.
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| Above: A macaque rides a bicycle. |
Right: A juvenile elephant plays with a hula hoop in front of a small group. Both images taken at Phuket Eco Safari + |
It is difficult to predict how wildlife tourism will survive in the post-Covid19 era. The pandemic is certainly thought to be somewhat of a watershed moment regarding our understanding of our relationship with the natural world and the illicit trade of endangered creatures. An optimistic perspective is that this newfound understanding of our relationship with the natural world will lead to a reconsideration of the existence of these venues.
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Left: Temple of the Pythons in Ouidah, Benin, where visitors pay to have their photos taken with ball pythons. |
Whatever the future holds for the wildlife tourism, for many of the animals photographed in ANIMOSITY, it is too late. The book showcases today’s issues of conflict, conservation and mankind’s complicated relationship with the natural world. So, sit back, enjoy, shed a tear, and be repulsed or inspired by some of the stories contained within ANIMOSITY.
| Right: At a café in Tokyo, otters are kept in small cages between visits from customers. In the wild, they require a large amount of space to roam, hunt and play. |
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ANIMOSITY can currently be purchased at 25% off ... from The Book Depository with FREE DELIVERY WORLDWIDE
Also at Amazon.co.uk (Hardcover) or get the Kindle Edition (in the US: Amazon.com + Kindle)
Purchasing the book from the links provided above will produce affilliate income that will help to support this site.
Or visit: animosity.cpsbooks.com
All images ©Aaron Gekoski |
