Overview

Captive Ambassadors challenges the notion of zoo animals as ""ambassadors"" for their species, revealing the exploitative marketing tactics behind their individualized narratives. Drawing on cognitive and behavioral ethology, transspecies psychology, and critical anthropomorphism, this multidisciplinary work exposes how zoos fabricate biographies to mask the harsh reality of animals’ lived experiences in captivity. It critiques the disruptions of animal culture caused by captive breeding programs and the tragic fate of surplus animals deemed no longer useful. Advocating for authentic animal biographies and ethical engagement, this book argues for a shift in human-animal relations that honors animals as unique individuals with intrinsic value, transcending the confines of their captive roles.

Full Product Details

Author:   Eve D'Vincent
Publisher:   Brill
Imprint:   Brill
Volume:   29
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 2.70cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.683kg
ISBN:  

9789004727786

ISBN 10:   9004727787
Pages:   334
Publication Date:   16 October 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.

Table of Contents

List of Figures Introduction 1 The Zoo-Industrial Complex  1 What is a Zoo?  2 Zoo Animal Biographies  3 Individualization, Pseudo-Individualization, and Instrumental Individualization  4 Zoo Animal Ambassadors 2 Anthropomorphism and Animal Ambassadors  1 What is Anthropomorphism?  2 Critical Anthropomorphism  3 Strategic Anthropomorphism and Marketing Animal Individuals  4 Animal Cultures and Animal ‘Names’  5 Anthropomorphism in the Gift Shop  6 Captive Painters and Musicians  7 From Enrichment to Entertainment  8 Captive Performers  9 When Anthropomorphism Goes Wrong 3 Educational Animal Ambassadors  1 Educational Ambassadors  2 What Lessons do Animal Ambassador Experiences Teach?  3 The Invasive Human Gaze  4 Impacts of Educational Ambassador Programs on the Animals   4.1 Impact of Physical Proximity to Other Animals   4.2 Impact of Physical Proximity to Human Visitors  5 Virtual Invasiveness  6 Sensory Pollution  7 Aquatic Ambassadors on Display 4 Iconic Conservation Ambassadors and Genetic Conservation Ambassadors  1 Iconic Conservation Ambassadors  2 Genetic Conservation Ambassadors  3 Reintroduction to the Wild from Captive Breeding Programs  4 Reproductive Servitude  5 Translocation and Dislocation  6 Zoo Biographies of Conservation Ambassadors  7 The Disruption of Animal Cultures  8 Iconic Infant Animal Ambassadors  9 Passive Domestication and Behavioral Incompetence  10 Sacrificial Ambassadors 5 Surplus Animals  1 When Does an Animal Become a Surplus Animal?  2 “Managed Euthanasia” or “Zoothanasia”?  3 Animal Transfer  4 What ‘Animal Transfer’ Means for Animals  5 From the Zoo to a ‘Career’ in Entertainment  6 Zoos and the Exotic Pet Trade  7 From Ambassador to Target  8 Sanctuary  9 The Ethics of Animal Sanctuaries  10 Sanctuary Animal Biographies  11 Transformed Lives  12 Biographical Depth  13 Beyond Pseudo-Individualization Conclusion Bibliography Animal Biographies Appendix Index

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Author Information

Eve D’Vincent, Ph.D. (2022), is a psychotherapist and independent scholar whose research spans from the Amazonian rainforest to the remote wilderness of Southeast Alaska. Her scholarly contributions have been featured in Scholastic Magazine and Rocky Mountain Books.

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