Species: a praxiographic study

Killing tsetse and/or saving wildlife? A multispecies assemblage in colonial Zambia (1895-1959)

This article investigates the problem of the tsetse fly and the trypanosomiasis disease it conveys as a transforming multispecies assemblage in colonial Zambia from the late nineteenth century until 1959. Based on archival research, it analyses the tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans) as a moving target; not only a mobile and elusive insect but also a moving field of knowledge bringing multiple stakeholders into dialogue. It shows that tsetse control and wildlife conservation emerged together in colonial Zambia, in conflicting but also synergising ways, and that the association of large mammals to G. morsitans laid the ground for their classification as killable or preservable species. In the crossed influence of diverse regional colonial expertise, the article finds that the complex multispecies relations between the tsetse fly, the trypanosomes, wildlife, vegetation, humans and cattle, mediated and enacted by colonial experts and others, shaped institutions, policies and landscapes.

Performing multispecies studies in Southern Africa: historical legacies, marginalised subjects, reflexive positionalities

Multispecies studies are known for tackling human exceptionalism. Whilst the field has seen a remarkable increase in popularity amongst scholars in the humanities and social sciences, critiques argue that it neglects inequalities and consequential differences amongst humans and between humans and other-than-humans. These critiques are especially relevant in the context of Southern Africa, where extreme inequalities amongst humans persist whilst wildlife is often perceived to enjoy a favoured position in the region's prominent conservation industries. As four researchers working in a multispecies study project focusing on the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area in Southern Africa, we pose the question of what a politicised multispecies studies might look like. In this article, we share our thoughts and reflections on working in this complex political landscape. Using insights from our own fields, we share some of the persistent concerns encountered during fieldwork and discuss and contextualise these by drawing on multispecies literature that deals with similar concerns. We identify three salient themes that should inform and politicise multispecies work in postcolonial conservation landscapes: historical legacies, reflexive positionalities and marginalised subjects.

Hybrid apes in the Anthropocene: Burden or asset for conservation?

Conservationists often view hybrid animals as problematic, at least if anthropogenic influence caused the intermixing to occur. However, critics propose that humans should respect non-human autonomy, reject and accept the creatures they have helped to create.Based on two case studies of our own ethological, genetic and ethnographic research about chimpanzee and orangutan subspecies hybrids, we assess what, if anything, should be done about such animals. We consider problems posed by cross-bred apes relating to: (a) Breeding-Do hybrids really experience reduced reproductive success? How are population-level concerns and welfare of individual animals balanced in conservation breeding? (b) Essentialism-Are anti-hybrid arguments based on essentialist or purist thinking? Does essentialism vary by conservation context? (c) Pragmatism-How do socio-economic circumstances influence whether hybrids are embraced or ignored? Does the erosion of 'untouched nature' render hybrids more important?We show that answers to these questions are complex and context-specific, and that therefore decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis. For example, we find that anti-hybrid arguments are essentialist in some cases (e.g. ape management in zoos) but not in others (e.g. ape reintroduction). Thus, rather than present recommendations, we conclude by posing nine questions that conservationists should ask themselves when making decisions about taxonomic hybrids. ​ A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.