vintagewildlife - Tumblr blog

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Robber fly By: Oxford Scientific Films From: Wild, Wild World of Animals: Insects & Spiders 1977

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Smoky jungle frog (Leptodactylus pentadactylus) By: Robert S. Simmons From: Living Amphibians of the World 1966

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House wren feeding a cowbird By: Arthur A. Allen From: The Book of Bird Life 1961

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A black-backed jackal strolling by a herd of gemsbok and Burchell's zebras By: George Holton From: Wildlife of the Deserts 1980

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White-tailed skimmer By: Vicky McMillan From: Natural History Magazine 1984

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Moth ovipositing By: Albro T. Gaul From: The Wonderful World of Insects 1953

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Sandalled anemone (Actinothoe sphyrodeta) By: Hervé Chaumeton From: Éditions Rencontre Cards 1978

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Orb weaver By: J. Lurie From: Wild, Wild World of Animals: Insects & Spiders 1977

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Blacksmith tree frog (Boana faber) By: Hans Rosenberg From: Living Amphibians of the World 1966

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A coyote eyeing a rattlesnake By: Charles G. Summers From: Wildlife of the Deserts 1980

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Red howler monkey By: Raymond A. Mendez From: Natural History Magazine 1984

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Brown bear raiding a potato field near Saint Petersburg By: Egon Freiherr von Kapherr From: Lebensbilder aus der Tierwelt 1908

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Nēnē geese By: W. H. Sager From: The Fascinating Secrets of Oceans & Islands 1972

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Florida panther By: Unknown photographer From: Wildlife Fact-File 1990s

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I swear I'm trying to roll the pigs out slowly but when I find a good book I go a little nuts😭

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Vietnamese pot-bellied pig named Winston By: Lil' Porkers Pig Pals From: Pot-bellied Pigs and Other Miniature Pet Pigs 1992

[vintagewildlife]

On related note, a few years ago, the Entomological Society of America officially discontinued the use of "gypsy moth" and "gyspy ant" as common names for Lymantria dispar and Aphaenogaster araneoides. L. Dispar is now known as the "spongy moth," so named for the appearance of their eggs, but I don't think a new common name has caught on for the ant species yet.

These changes we brought about, in large part, by the advocacy of Romani people in academia. You might not think that bug names are a very serious issue, but I believe that language matters. These species became known as "gypsies" because their attributes were likened to certain stereotypes and negative perceptions of actual Roma, so the continued use of those names reaffirmed those negative associations in the public consciousness. Slurs and pejoratives can never be truly decontexualized.

In my mind, one of the biggest obstacles that Romani people face when we are trying to advocate for ourselves is a lack of recognition as a marginalized group that deserves the necessary consideration. Even for seemingly trivial matters, like bugs or comic book characters, the way that people talk about us-- and talk down to us, when we get involved-- is telling. So, I always think that changes like this are a win, because it means that people are willing to learn and grant us the dignity we deserve. And there's nothing wrong with wanting to effect change in your own field, even arts and science.