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A computerised ark: The International Species Information System (ISIS) and the laborious re-ordering of the zoo world

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  • De Bont, Raf

Abstract

In 1974, the International Species Information System (ISIS) was launched as a computerised database for zoo animals. Developed by a small group in Minneapolis, ISIS is now used by over 1,300 zoos on five continents and recognised as a crucial tool for ex situ conservation. The founders aimed to transform long-standing global patterns of zoo animal management. Rather than places where wild-caught animals went to die, they envisioned zoos as interconnected hubs supporting the global breeding and survival of endangered species. This article examines how the ‘infrastructural globalism’ of ISIS took shape. At first sight, the system appears to be a universal instrument for collecting neutral data. Yet, using the lens of ‘infrastructural inversion’ and examining the legal, socio-political, and scientific contexts in which it was developed, the article highlights how locally rooted ambitions and global competitions shaped its design and operation. Despite its aura of global reach, the effectiveness of ISIS relied on continuous local human effort, which explains its limitations. On a broader level, the history of ISIS reminds us that the influence of infrastructural globalism extends to non-human animals, and the ways they move around the world.

Suggested Citation

  • De Bont, Raf, 2025. "A computerised ark: The International Species Information System (ISIS) and the laborious re-ordering of the zoo world," Journal of Global History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(2), pages 199-216, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jglhis:v:20:y:2025:i:2:p:199-216_5
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