Microscope and spectacle: on the complexities of using new visual technologies to communicate about wildlife conservation.
Wildlife conservation-related organisations increasingly employ new visual technologies in their science communication and public engagement efforts. Here, we examine the use of such technologies for wildlife conservation campaigns. We obtained empirical data from four UK-based organisations through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Visual technologies were used to provide the knowledge and generate the emotional responses perceived by organisations as being necessary for motivating a sense of caring about wildlife. We term these two aspects 'microscope' and 'spectacle', metaphorical concepts denoting the duality through which these technologies speak to both the cognitive and the emotional. As conservation relies on public support, organisations have to be seen to deliver information that is not only sufficiently detailed and scientifically credible but also spectacular enough to capture public interest. Our investigation showed that balancing science and entertainment is a difficult undertaking for wildlife-related organisations as there are perceived risks of contriving experiences of nature and obscuring conservation aims.
School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Auris, 23 St. Machar Drive, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK. audrey.vermajames@gmail.com.
Audrey
A
Verma
School of Biological Sciences, Aberdeen Centre for Environmental Sustainability (ACES), University of Aberdeen, Auris, 23 St. Machar Drive, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK. r.vanderwal@abdn.ac.uk.
René
R
van der Wal
Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences Group, James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, Scotland, UK. anke.fischer@hutton.ac.uk.
Anke
A
Fischer
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D003142:Communication; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D020407:Internet; D062069:Inventions; D010465:Perception; D006113:United Kingdom
Environmental communication; Public engagement; Visual technology; Wildlife conservation