Since Your Gaze Is Gone

The workers’ cars run undisturbed among the paths of Natura Viva Park usually crowded with families. The keepers have never stopped looking after the animals and the only sounds heard on a hot sunny day of mid-April, perfect day for school trips, are those of their calls. The atmosphere is that of a Eden’s garden.

Only cleaners and animal care workers move through the corridors of the Genoa Aquarium, like fleeting apparitions. They are silently working for a facility in constant need of maintenance. The lights in the non-operational sectors are turned off, we grope almost in the dark, barely illuminated by the only light coming from the tubs. It seems to walk through the dungeons of a castle under the sea. Fishes gasp, indifferent to our presence. Only the dolphins seem to notice the new figures beyond the glass and, if you pay attention, you can even hear their playful whistles.

Both animals and workers, not only from these parks, but all over the world, have become accustomed to these scenarios.

To follow the government directives, Italian wildlife parks were forced to close to the public for many months, despite the precautions taken in order to contain the spread of Covid-19. Closing a wildlife park means taking away its revenue, which had not only to pay its employees, but also to feed its animals.

“The animals have never lacked anything, their care has always been pursued with usual high standards. Actually, veterinary checks have been increased to keep their health under control. Someone might think that animals miss visitors or suffer from loneliness. The truth is yes, they were surprised from the absence of visitors because these are a stimulus, at least for the more “social” animals. However, This event, has certainly not traumatized or saddened the animals but, we can say that it has rather relaxed them. Now even the most timid specimens are more willing to approach if they see someone unknown: they are intrigued by this new presence”.

This is exactly what every keeper repeats when people ask them information about the animals. Reassuring words, despite the period of closure has experienced large decline in visitors and, therefore, in economic income. Advance ticket sales, long distance animal adoptions and, for those who had the opportunity, donations, were the ways they tried to make up for these losses.

The activity of wildlife parks has never stopped, not only the care of their animals, but also their social activity. In fact, they try to maintain their didactic function (through remote guided tours or informative videos on the animals present in their parks) and to continue the scientific and university research projects they collaborate with.

“Since Your Gaze is Gone” is a documentary work made during the closure of wildlife parks caused by the government measures to contain the spread of Covid-19. This work tries to emphasize the incredible absence of the visitor in contrast with the constant presence of workers and animals of the parks. Animals that have remained in their place, waiting for the gaze of a spectator who is gone.