Acclimatisation society: Difference between revisions
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'''Acclimatisation societies''' were societies created in order to enrich the [[fauna]] of a region with [[introduced species|animals and plants]]. These societies were born during a period of colonialism when Europeans began to settle in unfamiliar environments. The movement sought to establish familiar animals (mainly from Europe) into new areas while also bringing exotic and useful animals into the European centres. |
'''Acclimatisation societies''' were societies created in order to enrich the [[fauna]] of a region with [[introduced species|animals and plants]]. These societies were born during a period of colonialism when Europeans began to settle in unfamiliar environments. The movement sought to establish familiar animals (mainly from Europe) into new areas while also bringing exotic and useful animals into the European centres. |
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The first Acclimatisation society was ''La Societé Zoologique d'Acclimatation'' founded in [[Paris]] in 1854 by [[Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire]]. |
The first Acclimatisation society was ''La Societé Zoologique d'Acclimatation'' founded in [[Paris]] in 1854 by [[Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire]]. It was essentially an offshoot of the of Paris museum of natural history and the other staff included [[Jean Louis Armand de Quatrefages de Bréau|de Bréau]], [[Antoine César Becquerel]] and his son Alexandre. Saint-Hilaire believed in the Lamarckian idea that humans and animals could be forced to adapt to new environments. The Paris society established a branch in algeria and the ''[[Jardin d'Acclimatation|Jardin d' Acclimatation]]'' in Paris in 1860 to showcase not just new animals and plants but also people from other lands.<ref>{{cite journal|title= Climates of Opinion: Acclimatization in Nineteenth-Century France and England |first=Warwick |last=Anderson |journal= Victorian Studies| volume=35| issue=2| year=1992 | pages=135-157}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Acclimatizing the World: A History of the Paradigmatic Colonial Science |first=Michael A. |last=Osborne |journal=Osiris |volume=15| year=2000| pages=135-151}}</ref> Rewards in the form of medals were offered for anyone in the colonies to establish breeding animals. The rules were that at least six specimens had to be maintained with at least two instances of breeding in captivity.<ref name=bennett> After Saint-Hilaire's death in 1861 the Society was headed by [[Édouard Drouyn de Lhuys]], foreign minister to Napoleon III and many of the functionaries were diplomats who established ties with officers in the colonies both French and foreign. Franco-British as well as Franco-Australian ties were involved in the movements of plants and animals. Australian acacias for instance were introduced in Algeria by the French and by the British in South Africa. [[François Laporte]], naturalist and consul in Melbourne played a key role.<ref>{{cite book|chapter =A collaborative dimension of the European empires|author=Osborne, Michael A.| title=International Science and National Scientific Identity. Australasian Studies in History and Philosophy of Science| volume=9| year=1991| pages=87-119| doi=10.1007/978-94-011-3786-7_6 |editor1=Home, R.W.|editor2=Hohlstedt, S.G.}}</ref> In some cases these movements were not direct but via Paris and Kew.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Carruthers, J.|author2=L. Robin|author3=J. P. Hattingh|author4=C. A. Kull|author5=H. Rangan| author6= B. W. van Wilgen|year= 2011| title=A native at home and abroad: the history, politics, ethics and aesthetics of Acacia.| journal=Diversity and Distributions| volume= 17 |issue=5 |pages=810-821|doi=10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00779.x}}</ref> |
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[[File:Acclimatisation_society_UK_1861.jpg|thumb|upright|Members of the British Society in 1861]] |
[[File:Acclimatisation_society_UK_1861.jpg|thumb|upright|Members of the British Society in 1861]] |
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The British acclimatisation society originated from an idea proposed by the management of ''The Field'' journal. A meeting was held on January 21, 1859 at a London tavern. The attendees included Professor Owen at the head of the table and the servings included a large pike, American partridges, a young bean goose and an African eland. At the meeting Mitchell and others suggested that many of these exotic animals could live in the British wilderness. Professor Owen wrote in the newspapers later on the taste of the eland.<ref>{{cite book|title=Life of Frank Buckland|author=Bompas, George C.|url=https://archive.org/stream/lifefrankbuckla01bompgoog#page/n108/mode/2up|pages=99-102|year=1885|publisher=Smith, Elder, & Co.|place=London}}</ref> In 1860, an Acclimatisation Society was begun in London and the Secretary to the Society, [[Francis Trevelyan Buckland]] (noted for his taste in exotic meats), noted their "success" in introducing peafowl, common pheasant, swan, starling and linnet into Australia through the efforts of Edward Wilson. One of the supporters of the Society was Miss [[Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts|Burdett Coutts]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Buckland, F.T.|year=1861|title=First Annual Report of the Society for the Acclimatisation of animals, birds, fishes, insects and vegetables within the United Kingdom|url=https://archive.org/stream/cihm_22920#page/n7/mode/2up}}</ref> Other such societies spread quickly around the world, particularly to European colonies in the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. In many instances they existed both as societies for the study of natural history as well as to improve the success rate of introduced species. In 1850, English sparrows were introduced into America and [[Eugene Schieffelin]] introduced starlings in 1890 as part of a plan to introduce all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare.<ref name=jwh>{{cite journal|title=Remaking the land: The Acclimatization Movement and Anglo Ideas of Nature|last=Dunlap| first=Thomas R.|journal=Journal of World History|volume= 8| issue=2| pages=303-319|year=1997}}</ref> |
The British acclimatisation society originated from an idea proposed by the management of ''The Field'' journal. A meeting was held on January 21, 1859 at a London tavern. The attendees included Professor [[Richard Owen]] at the head of the table and the servings included a large pike, American partridges, a young bean goose and an African eland. At the meeting [[David William Mitchell|Mitchell]] and others suggested that many of these exotic animals could live in the British wilderness. Professor Owen wrote in the newspapers later on the taste of the eland.<ref>{{cite book|title=Life of Frank Buckland|author=Bompas, George C.|url=https://archive.org/stream/lifefrankbuckla01bompgoog#page/n108/mode/2up|pages=99-102|year=1885|publisher=Smith, Elder, & Co.|place=London}}</ref> In 1860, an Acclimatisation Society was begun in London and the Secretary to the Society, [[Francis Trevelyan Buckland]] (noted for his taste in exotic meats), noted their "success" in introducing peafowl, common pheasant, swan, starling and linnet into Australia through the efforts of Edward Wilson. One of the supporters of the Society was Miss [[Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts|Burdett Coutts]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Buckland, F.T.|year=1861|title=First Annual Report of the Society for the Acclimatisation of animals, birds, fishes, insects and vegetables within the United Kingdom|url=https://archive.org/stream/cihm_22920#page/n7/mode/2up}}</ref> Other such societies spread quickly around the world, particularly to European colonies in the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. In many instances they existed both as societies for the study of natural history as well as to improve the success rate of introduced species. In 1850, English sparrows were introduced into America and [[Eugene Schieffelin]] introduced starlings in 1890 as part of a plan to introduce all the birds mentioned in [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]].<ref name=jwh>{{cite journal|title=Remaking the land: The Acclimatization Movement and Anglo Ideas of Nature|last=Dunlap| first=Thomas R.|journal=Journal of World History|volume= 8| issue=2| pages=303-319|year=1997}}</ref> |
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The appeal of acclimatisation societies in colonies, particularly Australia and New Zealand,<ref>{{cite web |
The appeal of acclimatisation societies in colonies, particularly Australia and New Zealand,<ref>{{cite web |
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| year=2004 |
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| title=The Flight of the Huia |
| title=The Flight of the Huia |
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| publisher=Canterbury University Press |
| publisher=Canterbury University Press|place=Christchurch |
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| isbn=0-908812-52-3 |
| isbn=0-908812-52-3 |
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}}</ref> An Australian settler, J. Martin, complained in 1830 that the "trees retained their leaves and shed their bark instead, the swans were black, the eagles white, the bees were stingless, some mammals had pockets, others laid eggs, it was warmest on the hills..." It was here that the desire to make the land feel more |
}}</ref> An Australian settler, J. Martin, complained in 1830 that the "trees retained their leaves and shed their bark instead, the swans were black, the eagles white, the bees were stingless, some mammals had pockets, others laid eggs, it was warmest on the hills..." It was here that the desire to make the land feel more like England was strongest. The Acclimatisation Society of Victoria was established in 1861. Speaking at the Society, George Bennett, pointed out how it was important to have such an organisation citing hte example of the Earl of Knowsley who had been conducting successful experiments in private whose results had been lost with his death.<ref name=bennett>{{cite book|title=Acclimatisation: its eminent adaptation to Australia|author=Bennett, George|publisher=William Goodhugh & Co.|place=Melbournce|year=1862|url=https://archive.org/stream/acclimatisation00unkngoog#page/n6/mode/2up}}</ref> Introductions of commercially valuable species or game species were also made. In some instances the results were disastrous, such as the economic and ecological effects of [[Rabbits in Australia|introducing rabbits to Australia]] or [[Common brushtail possum in New Zealand|possums to New Zealand]]. The disastrous effects were rapidly felt and a Rabbit Nuisance Act was passed in 1876 in New Zealand. To make matters worse, the suggestion was made that weasels and stoats could control the rabbits. Despite warnings from [[Alfred Newton]] and others these predators were introduced and [[Herbert Guthrie-Smith]] declared it as an "attempt to correct a blunder by a crime."<ref name=jwh /> |
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Over time and with the emergence of the field of ecology, both expert and public opinion on introducing organisms changed. Beginning in New Zealand, some of the acclimatisation societies transformed themselves into fish and game organizations.<ref name=jwh /> |
Over time and with the emergence of the field of ecology, both expert and public opinion on introducing organisms changed. Beginning in New Zealand, some of the acclimatisation societies transformed themselves into fish and game organizations.<ref name=jwh /> |
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Revision as of 11:34, 23 May 2015
Acclimatisation societies were societies created in order to enrich the fauna of a region with animals and plants. These societies were born during a period of colonialism when Europeans began to settle in unfamiliar environments. The movement sought to establish familiar animals (mainly from Europe) into new areas while also bringing exotic and useful animals into the European centres.
The first Acclimatisation society was La Societé Zoologique d'Acclimatation founded in Paris in 1854 by Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. It was essentially an offshoot of the of Paris museum of natural history and the other staff included de Bréau, Antoine César Becquerel and his son Alexandre. Saint-Hilaire believed in the Lamarckian idea that humans and animals could be forced to adapt to new environments. The Paris society established a branch in algeria and the Jardin d' Acclimatation in Paris in 1860 to showcase not just new animals and plants but also people from other lands.[1][2] Rewards in the form of medals were offered for anyone in the colonies to establish breeding animals. The rules were that at least six specimens had to be maintained with at least two instances of breeding in captivity.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). In some cases these movements were not direct but via Paris and Kew.[3]
The British acclimatisation society originated from an idea proposed by the management of The Field journal. A meeting was held on January 21, 1859 at a London tavern. The attendees included Professor Richard Owen at the head of the table and the servings included a large pike, American partridges, a young bean goose and an African eland. At the meeting Mitchell and others suggested that many of these exotic animals could live in the British wilderness. Professor Owen wrote in the newspapers later on the taste of the eland.[4] In 1860, an Acclimatisation Society was begun in London and the Secretary to the Society, Francis Trevelyan Buckland (noted for his taste in exotic meats), noted their "success" in introducing peafowl, common pheasant, swan, starling and linnet into Australia through the efforts of Edward Wilson. One of the supporters of the Society was Miss Burdett Coutts.[5] Other such societies spread quickly around the world, particularly to European colonies in the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. In many instances they existed both as societies for the study of natural history as well as to improve the success rate of introduced species. In 1850, English sparrows were introduced into America and Eugene Schieffelin introduced starlings in 1890 as part of a plan to introduce all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare.[6]
The appeal of acclimatisation societies in colonies, particularly Australia and New Zealand,[7] was the belief that the local fauna was in some way deficient or impoverished; there was also an element of nostalgia in colonists who desired to see familiar species.[8] An Australian settler, J. Martin, complained in 1830 that the "trees retained their leaves and shed their bark instead, the swans were black, the eagles white, the bees were stingless, some mammals had pockets, others laid eggs, it was warmest on the hills..." It was here that the desire to make the land feel more like England was strongest. The Acclimatisation Society of Victoria was established in 1861. Speaking at the Society, George Bennett, pointed out how it was important to have such an organisation citing hte example of the Earl of Knowsley who had been conducting successful experiments in private whose results had been lost with his death.[9] Introductions of commercially valuable species or game species were also made. In some instances the results were disastrous, such as the economic and ecological effects of introducing rabbits to Australia or possums to New Zealand. The disastrous effects were rapidly felt and a Rabbit Nuisance Act was passed in 1876 in New Zealand. To make matters worse, the suggestion was made that weasels and stoats could control the rabbits. Despite warnings from Alfred Newton and others these predators were introduced and Herbert Guthrie-Smith declared it as an "attempt to correct a blunder by a crime."[6]
Over time and with the emergence of the field of ecology, both expert and public opinion on introducing organisms changed. Beginning in New Zealand, some of the acclimatisation societies transformed themselves into fish and game organizations.[6]
See also
- Introduced species
- Invasive species
- Assisted migration
- Acclimatisation societies in New Zealand
- American Acclimatization Society
- Queensland Acclimatisation Society
References
- ^ Anderson, Warwick (1992). "Climates of Opinion: Acclimatization in Nineteenth-Century France and England". Victorian Studies. 35 (2): 135–157.
- ^ Osborne, Michael A. (2000). "Acclimatizing the World: A History of the Paradigmatic Colonial Science". Osiris. 15: 135–151.
- ^ Carruthers, J.; L. Robin; J. P. Hattingh; C. A. Kull; H. Rangan; B. W. van Wilgen (2011). "A native at home and abroad: the history, politics, ethics and aesthetics of Acacia". Diversity and Distributions. 17 (5): 810–821. doi:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2011.00779.x.
- ^ Bompas, George C. (1885). Life of Frank Buckland. London: Smith, Elder, & Co. pp. 99–102.
- ^ Buckland, F.T. (1861). First Annual Report of the Society for the Acclimatisation of animals, birds, fishes, insects and vegetables within the United Kingdom.
- ^ a b c Dunlap, Thomas R. (1997). "Remaking the land: The Acclimatization Movement and Anglo Ideas of Nature". Journal of World History. 8 (2): 303–319.
- ^ A. H. McLintock (1966). "Acclimatisation Societies and their Activities". The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
- ^ Wilson, Kerry-Jayne (2004). The Flight of the Huia. Christchurch: Canterbury University Press. ISBN 0-908812-52-3.
- ^ Bennett, George (1862). Acclimatisation: its eminent adaptation to Australia. Melbournce: William Goodhugh & Co.