Human Interest, Eagle Blood
Photographer Matt Dunne’s work draws attention to the killing of Wedge-Tailed Eagles, a protected species, in Australia.
“The Killing Sink” indicates an area created when a territorial animal is killed. As a result, others of the same species are drawn to the location, exposing themselves to the same danger. Matt Dunne’s homonymous book focuses on the case of a man who called the police in 2017 confessing the killing of 400 Wedge-Tailed Eagles, following his boss’ orders.
A predatory species native of Australia, the Wedge-Tailed Eagle is mistakenly considered a threat to farmers’s livestock and profits. Before the late 60s it is estimated that 300,000 eagles have been killed, as some states used to offered bounties for their carcasses. Matt Dunne’s photographs focus on the majesty of the animals and the places of their killing in cold blood. He refers to “the remnants of some of our oldest and ugliest thinking: that other forms of life don’t matter and, no matter the cost, humans should subjugate others.”
“The Killing Sink” by Matt Dunn is published by
Void and available at the price of €40.
