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Rovers minimize human disturbance in research on wild animals
Yvon Le Maho1, Jason D Whittington2, Nicolas Hanuise3
11] Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire International Associé LIA-647 BioSensib (CSM-CNRS-UdS), Strasbourg, France. [2] Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche 7178, LIA-647 BioSensib, Strasbourg, France. [3] Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM), LIA-647 BioSensib, Monaco.
Abstract:
Investigating wild animals while minimizing human disturbance remains an important methodological challenge. When approached by a remote-operated vehicle (rover) which can be equipped to make radio-frequency identifications, wild penguins had significantly lower and shorter stress responses (determined by heart rate and behavior) than when approached by humans. Upon immobilization, the rover-unlike humans-did not disorganize colony structure, and stress rapidly ceased. Thus, rovers can reduce human disturbance of wild animals and the resulting scientific bias.
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