Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas
Abstract Illegal killing of nongame wildlife is a global yet poorly documented problem. The prevalence and ecological consequences of illegal killing are often underestimated or completely unknown. We review the practice of legal recreational shooting and present data gathered from telemetry, survey...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Conservation Science and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.279 |
| _version_ | 1818267410076008448 |
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| author | Todd E. Katzner Jay D. Carlisle Sharon A. Poessel Eve C. Thomason Benjamin P. Pauli David S. Pilliod James R. Belthoff Julie A. Heath Kristina J. Parker Kevin S. Warner Heather M. Hayes Madeline C. Aberg Patricia A. Ortiz Sandra M. Amdor Steven E. Alsup Stephanie E. Coates Tricia A. Miller Zoe K. Duran |
| author_facet | Todd E. Katzner Jay D. Carlisle Sharon A. Poessel Eve C. Thomason Benjamin P. Pauli David S. Pilliod James R. Belthoff Julie A. Heath Kristina J. Parker Kevin S. Warner Heather M. Hayes Madeline C. Aberg Patricia A. Ortiz Sandra M. Amdor Steven E. Alsup Stephanie E. Coates Tricia A. Miller Zoe K. Duran |
| author_sort | Todd E. Katzner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Illegal killing of nongame wildlife is a global yet poorly documented problem. The prevalence and ecological consequences of illegal killing are often underestimated or completely unknown. We review the practice of legal recreational shooting and present data gathered from telemetry, surveys, and observations on its association with illegal killing of wildlife (birds and snakes) within conservation areas in Idaho, USA. In total, 33% of telemetered long‐billed curlews (Numenius americanus) and 59% of other bird carcasses found with known cause of death (or 32% of total) were illegally shot. Analysis of spatial distributions of illegal and legal shooting is consistent with birds being shot illegally in the course of otherwise legal recreational shooting, but snakes being intentionally sought out and targeted elsewhere, in locations where they congregate. Preliminary public surveys indicate that most recreational shooters find abhorrent the practice of illegal killing of wildlife. Viewed through this lens, our data may imply only a small fraction of recreational shooters is responsible for this activity. This study highlights a poorly known conservation problem that could have broad implications for some species and populations of wildlife. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:22:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e50690d5ea3e462fa26ada8cfe7c3e4c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2578-4854 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:22:09Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Science and Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-e50690d5ea3e462fa26ada8cfe7c3e4c2022-12-22T00:13:14ZengWileyConservation Science and Practice2578-48542020-11-01211n/an/a10.1111/csp2.279Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areasTodd E. Katzner0Jay D. Carlisle1Sharon A. Poessel2Eve C. Thomason3Benjamin P. Pauli4David S. Pilliod5James R. Belthoff6Julie A. Heath7Kristina J. Parker8Kevin S. Warner9Heather M. Hayes10Madeline C. Aberg11Patricia A. Ortiz12Sandra M. Amdor13Steven E. Alsup14Stephanie E. Coates15Tricia A. Miller16Zoe K. Duran17US Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USAIntermountain Bird Observatory, Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USAUS Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USAUS Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USABiology Department Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona Minnesota USAUS Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USARaptor Research Center Boise State University Boise Idaho USARaptor Research Center Boise State University Boise Idaho USAUS Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USAIdaho Army National Guard Boise Idaho USAIntermountain Bird Observatory, Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USADepartment of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USAUS Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USARaptor Research Center Boise State University Boise Idaho USARaptor Research Center Boise State University Boise Idaho USAIntermountain Bird Observatory, Department of Biological Sciences Boise State University Boise Idaho USAConservation Science Global West Cape May New Jersey USAIdaho Army National Guard Boise Idaho USAAbstract Illegal killing of nongame wildlife is a global yet poorly documented problem. The prevalence and ecological consequences of illegal killing are often underestimated or completely unknown. We review the practice of legal recreational shooting and present data gathered from telemetry, surveys, and observations on its association with illegal killing of wildlife (birds and snakes) within conservation areas in Idaho, USA. In total, 33% of telemetered long‐billed curlews (Numenius americanus) and 59% of other bird carcasses found with known cause of death (or 32% of total) were illegally shot. Analysis of spatial distributions of illegal and legal shooting is consistent with birds being shot illegally in the course of otherwise legal recreational shooting, but snakes being intentionally sought out and targeted elsewhere, in locations where they congregate. Preliminary public surveys indicate that most recreational shooters find abhorrent the practice of illegal killing of wildlife. Viewed through this lens, our data may imply only a small fraction of recreational shooters is responsible for this activity. This study highlights a poorly known conservation problem that could have broad implications for some species and populations of wildlife.https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.279conservation areasillegal killingnongame wildlifepoachingprotected areasrecreational shooting |
| spellingShingle | Todd E. Katzner Jay D. Carlisle Sharon A. Poessel Eve C. Thomason Benjamin P. Pauli David S. Pilliod James R. Belthoff Julie A. Heath Kristina J. Parker Kevin S. Warner Heather M. Hayes Madeline C. Aberg Patricia A. Ortiz Sandra M. Amdor Steven E. Alsup Stephanie E. Coates Tricia A. Miller Zoe K. Duran Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas Conservation Science and Practice conservation areas illegal killing nongame wildlife poaching protected areas recreational shooting |
| title | Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas |
| title_full | Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas |
| title_fullStr | Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas |
| title_short | Illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas |
| title_sort | illegal killing of nongame wildlife and recreational shooting in conservation areas |
| topic | conservation areas illegal killing nongame wildlife poaching protected areas recreational shooting |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.279 |
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