After the anthropause: Lockdown lessons for more‐than‐human geographies

• DOI: 10.1111/geoj.12373
• Publication Date: 2021-01-10T23:26:43Z
• Authors: Adam Searle; Jonathon Turnbull; Jamie Lorimer
• Keywords: Pandemic; 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak; Mobilities

The drastic reductions in human activities and mobilities associated with quarantines implemented to curb the spread of SARS‐CoV‐2 was recently described as “the anthropause” by Christian Rutz colleagues. Field scientists argue that anthropause is a once‐in‐a‐lifetime opportunity for observation data collection world devoid anthropogenic disturbances, notably those from extractive industries travel. In this commentary, we unpack spatio‐temporal event, attending its geographies, histories, genealogies. There are multiple precursors events which have locally altered impacts on environment. We document ways COVID‐19 has brought into focus human–animal relations through an analysis practices scientists, publics, nonhuman animals themselves. Following Arundhati Roy, conclude advancing understanding pandemic “portal” rather than pause, identifying lockdown lessons post‐pandemic new normality.