Leaving Only Footsteps? Think Again
By peter, on February 17th, 2015
This article from the New York Times discusses the effects of recreation on nature. Surprisingly, one study found that snowmobiles had less effect on moose than cross country skiers – the animals were less afraid of the machines they could hear coming and which soon left, than the skiers who they couldn’t hear as well and which stayed longer. Not a very Australian example, but it makes you wonder if we birders might have more effect than we think, wandering slowly and quietly through the bush looking at stuff. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/opinion/sunday/leaving-only-footsteps-think-again.html Peter Shute Sent from my iPad
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Downhill skiers would certainly upset wildlife, due to their speed, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Langlaufers would probably be less of a problem, due to their slower speed and the degree of grunting and wheezing involved. Carl Clifford
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Good point, although it was skiers, not walkers, they were compared to. They might be much quieter, and a lot faster. As for the snowmobiles, I assume they’re talking about those going from A to B, not those zooming around aimlessly. I can’t imagine many animals putting up with that. Peter Shute Sent from my iPad On 17 Feb 2015, at 7:25 pm, Martin Butterfield < martinflab@gmail.commartinflab@gmail.com>> wrote: I wonder who sponsored the research that showed snowmobiles were not much of an issue? My nominations would be some entity associated with snowmobiles. I have never ridden one of these appalling devices but have come across moose several times while walking in Canada and the U.S. They paid no attention to the humans at all but simply carried on grazing or wading as they appeared to be doing before we arrived. I tend to be very suspicious of such research that seems to show access by park people is OK but us mere mortals have to be kept out. Martin On Tuesday, 17 February 2015, Peter Shute < pshute@nuw.org.au pshute@nuw.org.au>> wrote: This article from the New York Times discusses the effects of recreation on nature. Surprisingly, one study found that snowmobiles had less effect on moose than cross country skiers – the animals were less afraid of the machines they could hear coming and which soon left, than the skiers who they couldn’t hear as well and which stayed longer. Not a very Australian example, but it makes you wonder if we birders might have more effect than we think, wandering slowly and quietly through the bush looking at stuff. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/opinion/sunday/leaving-only-footsteps-think-again.html Peter Shute Sent from my iPad
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Don’t write off snowmobiles because of the activities of some idiots, Martin. In areas that experience heavy winter snowfalls, they are an essential means of transport for large portions of their populations, as well as wildlife researchers. Even in Australia, they are an essential tool for search and rescue. Carl Clifford
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Good point Peter I’ve often noticed when on the tractor or ride-on mower that animals such as wallabies, wild dogs and birds like Magpies and Butcherbirds are far less likely to flee than if I were on foot. The birds are probably looking for a feed from disturbed insects and other small creatures, but I can recall a couple of times when slashing, coming within five metres of a wild dog which paid no attention to the tractor, but when I made to dismount it ran away very quickly. Perhaps the animals know that we’re too involved with our machine to be a threat. No matter how careful I am to be inaudible and invisible when birding, the birds are almost always aware of me before I am of them. Tony Gibson Sent from my iPod
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I wonder who sponsored the research that showed snowmobiles were not much of an issue? My nominations would be some entity associated with snowmobiles. I have never ridden one of these appalling devices but have come across moose several times while walking in Canada and the U.S. They paid no attention to the humans at all but simply carried on grazing or wading as they appeared to be doing before we arrived. I tend to be very suspicious of such research that seems to show access by park people is OK but us mere mortals have to be kept out. Martin On Tuesday, 17 February 2015, Peter Shute < pshute@nuw.org.au> wrote: — Martin Butterfield http://franmart.blogspot.com.au/
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