Blog Post #2: The Ideal Interpreter
In previous classes during my zoology undergrad here in Guelph, our professors and lab coordinators began giving us assignments focused on making scientific research more accessible to the general public. These assignments included the creation of posters and short summaries of research articles or general information on animal species.
Describing my take on the environment to a group of people sounds pretty neat, but in my ideal job, I would also create content such as posters and diagrams for the public to look at. If done correctly, a poster can convey what it’s all about in less than a minute to any readers. These would greatly help people like me, to whom auditory information goes in through one ear and out the other. If my job leads me down this “poster” path, I would definitely consider taking a couple classes in graphic design.
A poster on the Blanding’s Turtle that I made for ENVS*3010 Climate Change Biology. I apologize in case the resolution isn’t the greatest.
While I am not quite sure of the exact location of my ideal job, I do know that I am interested in observing animals in the wild, rather than in a lab setting (although labs are cool too!). However, depending on the type of animal I’d be studying, I might not be able to bring an audience along to listen to my interpretation. This could be due to the remoteness of the animal’s habitat, for example.
This is where Dr. Dian Fossey comes in.
Dian Fossey is the one who inspired me to study animal behaviour. She managed to change people’s negative perception of gorillas, as well as draw attention to their conservation through pictures of them. In addition to this, her published book, Gorillas in the Mist and its associated movie helped cement the public’s interest. Her audience did not need to be present with her in order to be inspired (”Dian Fossey Biography”, n.d.).
Dian Fossey imitating Digit the gorilla. The imitation of gorillas’ behaviours proved to be helpful in gaining their trust. Image taken by Bob Campbell, found in the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
If I were to do things similarly to Fossey, I would need to develop my writing skills. A good vocabulary and writing style are key to translating my thoughts and feelings to my audience. Here is one of my favourite quotes from Dian Fossey:
“I believe it was at this time the seed was planted in my head, even if unconsciously, that I would someday return to Africa to study the gorillas of the mountains.” — “Gorillas in the Mist”
This short passage truly resonated with me. On top of the pleasant, elegant writing style, I could perfectly picture Fossey’s emotions at that time. My own deep appreciation for the Alps in France and my longing to return to them only accentuated this feeling.
Another part of Gorillas in the Mist that I found interesting were the gorillas’ family trees included near the end of my copy of the book. This gives readers an opportunity to visualize the structure of gorilla troops, making it easier to understand Fossey’s descriptions of the relationships between individual gorillas.
Family tree of one of the gorilla troops that Fossey studied. Legend Translation: “femelle” = female, “mâle” = male, “sexe inconnu” = unknown sex, “animal décédé” = deceased animal. Image from a French copy of Gorillas in the Mist.
On top of basing my methods of nature interpretation on Fossey’s work, I also wish to include drawings of my own. The use of varying art styles can communicate different feelings or “vibes” to a viewer, hinting at what the artist felt in regards to a subject.
A detailed scientific drawing of jellyfish. Do you feel a sense of awe? Drawing made by Ernst Haeckel, found in Open Culture.
Here are a couple of my own drawings and doodles if you are interested!
Turtle that I painted for one of my grade 12 projects.
Various doodles on previous class notes that I accumulated over the years. I liked them, so I stuck them in a notebook.
Dian Fossey Biography. (2020, July 14). Retrieved January 22, 2021, from https://gorillafund.org/who-we-are/dian-fossey/dian-fossey-bio/
Ernst Haeckel’s Sublime Drawings of Flora and Fauna: The Beautiful Scientific Drawings That Influenced Europe’s Art Nouveau Movement (1889). (2017, November 29). Retrieved January 22, 2021, from https://www.openculture.com/2017/11/ernst-haeckels-sublime-drawings-of-flora-and-fauna.html
Fossey, D. (1983). Gorilles dans la Brume (14862nd ed.) (J. Fanon, Trans.). Paris: Presses de la Cité.