For those just arriving at this website, Framing Speciesism is a research activism blog that explores how we ‘frame’ (or think about) nonhuman animal species. Beginning with my doctoral research on brushtail possums in Aotearoa New Zealand, my work has since expanded to include a wider breadth of species, particularly those labelled as ‘pests’, ‘invasive’, or ‘unwanted’. I am developing Critical Pest Studies, an emerging subfield of Critical Animal Studies that examines how these labels are socially and politically constructed and how they shape public attitudes, policy, and the treatment of animals. Through this work, I challenge the narratives that justify the persecution of certain species and dedicate my research activism to serving animals of all kinds, particularly those who are discarded, exploited, or demonized.
Post-publishing note:
The author of the ODT article, Courtney White, has since reached out to me to discuss their own experience in trying to publish this article. Certain liberties were taken, likely by the editorial staff, to frame White’s story in a very particular way. Though the previous version of this post critiqued White’s suggestive language and photograph choices, it turns out they are a fan of possums, too, and was unable to write on the more heart-warming aspects of the story within this piece (though she did in subsequent pieces; see White, 2021b and White, 2021c). This post has since been amended to include other news articles that also reported on the ‘Blacks Rd Ripper’. Thank you to White for reaching out and reinforcing how institutionalised this violence is towards possums is – even in journalism.
November 16, 2021
On November 15th, 2021, an article titled ‘Blacks Rd Ripper’: Woman Held Hostage by Possum, was published by the Otago Daily Times (White, 2021a). The article encapsulates societal attitudes towards possums in a tangible way. As seen below, the language use and choice of accompanying photograph (which depicts a petrified possum in severe pain), strategically work together to reinforce the dominant conservation discourse in New Zealand that possums are villainous ‘pests’ that must be destroyed. It takes a lot of cognitive work to make a large-eyed, fluffy mammal who shies away from humans, like the possum, look terrifying.
Source: Otago Daily Times
The article described how an ‘aggressive’ possum, dubbed by police as the ‘Blacks Rd Ripper’, allegedly held a woman ‘hostage’ at her home in Dunedin, a city in the south-eastern region of New Zealand’s South Island. The possum was described to repeatedly ‘charge’ at the woman, preventing her from reaching her car. The fiasco resulted in the woman calling police to seek help, where the possum, later revealed to be a juvenile, climbed up the officer’s leg. The possum was (very surprisingly) released into the bush without harm (side note – I would like to give those compassionate officers a hug please!). Instead of the original title, how about the editors change it to “Blacks Rd Possum: Woman Meets Hungry Joey“?
This article was not the only one to report on this event. Stuff journalist, Hamish McNeilly (2021), also wrote an article on the ‘Blacks Rd Ripper’, though his focus was more on the ‘victim’ who was held ‘hostage’. Radio New Zealand (2021) similarly reported on the “arresting tale” of the possums which “terrorised a resident” (n.p.). Articles such as these perfectly exemplified the institutionalised process of just how possums are demonised here in New Zealand. Demonisation like this plays a central role in the justification and celebration of violence towards possums (McCrow-Young et al., 2015). It is easier to feel good about killing a living being, and have your children pose with their bodies, if they are perceived to be an enemy.
Source: John Bisset / Stuff
This process is assisted by anthropomorphism – a mouthful of a word that essentially means the attribution of human characteristics to animals (Morton et al., 1990; Airenti, 2018). For possums in New Zealand, this can be illustrated by their framing in popular culture as vindictive invaders who are intentionally destroying native species of flora and fauna within the archipelago (Potts, 2009). Anthropomorphising baby joeys as ‘Rippers’ justifies this dominant framing of these animals as worthy recipients of deadly – and often cruel – consequences that would not normally be excused for other species of animals, such as live leg-hold traps.
Source: Sue Telford
In all likelihood, the alleged ‘Blacks Rd Ripper’ was a hungry joey who was raised to associate humans with food or attention – wild possums are typically scared of humans and keep a safe distance. Now, while it is possible the joey was wild and newly separated from its mum’s pouch, the possum’s behaviour suggests they were either a pet that escaped accidentally or was intentionally released to the wild (both of which are sad outcomes that do not likely bode well for the joey’s future – but that’s a conversation for another post).
Source: Flickr, by [http://www.flickr.com/photos/wollombi/ wollombi] {{cc-by-2.0}}
In all likelihood, the alleged ‘Blacks Rd Ripper’ was a hungry joey who was raised to associate humans with food or attention – wild possums are typically scared of humans and keep a safe distance. Now, while it is possible the joey was wild and newly separated from its mum’s pouch, the possum’s behaviour suggests they were either a pet that escaped accidentally or was intentionally released to the wild (both of which are sad outcomes that do not likely bode well for the joey’s future – but that’s a conversation for another post).
Since I have always been interested in etymology (the origin of words), I researched whether the intentional reference of the possum as a ‘Ripper’ meant something other than the notorious Jack the Ripper murders that took place between 1888-1891 in the Whitechapel region of London, England (Begg, 2013). Unfortunately, I could not find anything. For the police to liken a joey to a ‘Ripper’, which means a “murderer who mutilates victims’ bodies” (Oxford Reference, n.d., n.p.), is a distasteful trivialisation of the mutilation and murders of five women – a case which has yet to be solved. The way we use words is important as words have the power to (re)construct our realities.
As the articles gain more responses and comments on social media, I have been watching them with intrigue to see how this story unfolds. I may update this blog post as more information comes out about this mysterious possum and its origin, though I worry I may open my phone to a celebratory message that the joey in question has been killed. Many of us who know the true nature of possums can have a simple chuckle at this article, but the very fact these articles exist signals something concerning about New Zealand’s relationship with possums. It is one thing to want to protect biodiversity and encourage the growth of native species, but it is another to do so without recognising the importance of compassion and empathy – even for ‘pests’.
References:
Airenti, G. (2018). The development of anthropomorphism in interaction: Intersubjectivity, imagination, and theory of mind. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2136.
Begg, P. (2013). Jack the Ripper: The definitive history. Routledge.
McCrow-Young, A., Linné, T., & Potts, A. (2015). Framing Possums: War, sport and patriotism in depictions of brushtail possums in New Zealand print media. Animal Studies Journal, 4(2), 29-54.
McNeilly, H. (2021, November 15). ‘I’m Being Held Hostage’: “Woman at centre of marsupial hostage drama speaks out. Stuff. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/126988788/im-being-held-hostage-woman-at-centre-of-marsupial-hostage-drama-speaks-out
Morton, D. B., Burghardt, G. M., & Smith, J. A. (1990). Critical anthropomorphism, animal suffering, and the ecological context. The Hastings Center Report, 20(3), S13-S13.
Oxford Reference. (n.d.). Ripper. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100422279
Potts, A. (2009). Kiwis against possums: A critical analysis of anti-possum rhetoric in Aotearoa New Zealand. Society & Animals, 17(1), 1-20.
Radio New Zealand. (2021, November 15). Arresting tale: Police respond after woman ‘held hostage’ by possum. RNZ. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/455751/arresting-tale-police-respond-after-woman-held-hostage-by-possum
White, C. (2021a, November 15). ‘Blacks Rd Ripper’: Woman Held Hostage by Possum. Otago Daily Times. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/blacks-rd-ripper-woman-held-hostage-possum?fbclid=IwAR1UuPKxB23uWpGvRWp17UI4M_2VHCreyg8SNnpSgztVfHDULInl7sOf1Qk
White, C. (2021b, November 16). Hoping to find released possum. Otago Daily Times. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/hoping-find-released-possum
White, C. (2021c, November 17). Pet possum Mrs Scoby Lunchbox exposed as the Blacks Rd Ripper. Otago Daily Times. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/pet-possum-mrs-scoby-lunchbox-exposed-as-the-blacks-rd-ripper/CUWNWUFLYUVFJUCXQCUS4VBEIQ/
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