LED flashlight technology facilitates wild meat extraction across the tropics

Mark Bowler; Christopher Beirne; Mathias W Tobler; Matt Anderson; Anna DiPaola; Julia E Fa; Michael P Gilmore; Lisley P Lemos; Pedro Mayor; Amelia Meier; Guillaume Menie Menie; Diana Meza; Delia Moreno‐Gutierrez; John R Poulsen; Anamélia de Souza Jesus; João Valsecchi; Hani R El Bizri

doi:10.1002/fee.2242

journal article Open Access Jul 29, 2020

LED flashlight technology facilitates wild meat extraction across the tropics

Mark Bowler Christopher Beirne

Mathias W Tobler Matt Anderson Anna DiPaola Julia E Fa Michael P Gilmore Lisley P Lemos Pedro Mayor

Amelia Meier Guillaume Menie Menie Diana Meza Delia Moreno‐Gutierrez John R Poulsen Anamélia de Souza Jesus João Valsecchi Hani R El Bizri

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment Vol. 18 No. 9 pp. 489-495 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/fee.2242

Abstract

Hunting for wild meat in the tropics provides subsistence and income for millions of people. Methods have remained relatively unchanged since the introduction of shotguns and battery‐powered incandescent flashlights, but the short battery life of such flashlights has limited nocturnal hunting. However, hunters in many countries throughout the tropics have recently begun to switch to brighter and more efficient light‐emitting diode (LED) flashlights. Such brighter spotlights stimulate the freeze response of many species, and improved battery life allows hunters to pursue game more often and for longer periods of time. Interviews with hunters in African and South American tropical forests revealed that LEDs increase the frequency and efficiency of nocturnal hunting, and subsequently the number of kills made. In Brazil, these findings were supported by harvest data. The marked change in efficiency brought about by LEDs, well known to hunters around the world, poses a major threat to wildlife. Here we consider the implications of the increasing use of LED lights in hunting for communities, governments, wildlife managers, and conservationists.

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References

Details

Published: Jul 29, 2020
Vol/Issue: 18(9)
Pages: 489-495
License: View

Authors

M

Mark Bowler

School of Engineering, Arts, Science and Technology Science University of Suffolk Ipswich UK; Institute for Conservation Research San Diego Zoo Global Escondido CA; Suffolk Sustainability Institute Ipswich UK

C

Christopher Beirne

Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham NC

M

Mathias W Tobler

Institute for Conservation Research San Diego Zoo Global Escondido CA

M

Matt Anderson

The Fund For Animals Ramona CA

A

Anna DiPaola

Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham NC

J

Julia E Fa

School of Science and the Environment Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester UK; Center for International Forestry Research Bogor Indonesia

M

Michael P Gilmore

School of Integrative Studies George Mason University Fairfax VA

L

Lisley P Lemos

Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá Tefé Brazil

P

Pedro Mayor

Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Bellaterra Spain; ComFauna Comunidad de Manejo de Fauna Silvestre en la Amazonía y en Latinoamérica Iquitos Peru

A

Amelia Meier

Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham NC

G

Guillaume Menie Menie

Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux Libreville Gabon

D

Diana Meza

Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana Iquitos Peru

D

Delia Moreno‐Gutierrez

Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana Iquitos Peru

J

John R Poulsen

Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham NC

A

Anamélia de Souza Jesus

Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá Tefé Brazil

J

João Valsecchi

Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá Tefé Brazil; ComFauna Comunidad de Manejo de Fauna Silvestre en la Amazonía y en Latinoamérica Iquitos Peru

H

Hani R El Bizri

School of Science and the Environment Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester UK; Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá Tefé Brazil; ComFauna Comunidad de Manejo de Fauna Silvestre en la Amazonía y en Latinoamérica Iquitos Peru

Cite This Article

Mark Bowler, Christopher Beirne, Mathias W Tobler, et al. (2020). LED flashlight technology facilitates wild meat extraction across the tropics. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 18(9), 489-495. https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2242

LED flashlight technology facilitates wild meat extraction across the tropics

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