Scientists urged not to publish locations of endangered species to stop poachers finding them | The Independent

lterrat's bookmarks 2017-05-31

Summary:

"Scientists have been urged not to publish location details of rare and endangered species in journals over fears the information is aiding poachers, which could lead to their extinction.

The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth £15bn globally, ranking as the fourth largest international criminal trade after drugs, guns and human trafficking, according to a recent report. 

Writing in Science magazine, David Lindenmayer and Ben Scheele, of the Threatened Species Recovery Hub at the Australian National University, suggested that scientists are 'unwittingly' aiding poachers by publishing details of species’ locations and habitats.  

By giving unrestricted access to location information of species in an age of 'digital proliferation and open access', biologists are facilitating a surge in wildlife poaching and leaving many at risk, the article claims.

The experts called for biologists to 'urgently unlearn part of their centuries-old publishing culture and rethink the benefits of publishing location data and habitat descriptions for rare and endangered species to avoid unwittingly contributing to further species declines'."

Link:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/endangered-species-scientists-urged-not-publish-location-poachers-find-hunt-kill-animals-chinese-a7763156.html

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Tags:

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Date tagged:

05/31/2017, 15:34

Date published:

05/31/2017, 11:34