Feathered Detectives: real-time GPS tracking of scavenging gulls pinpoints illegal waste dumping

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dc.contributor.authorNavarro, Joanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorGrémillet, Daviden_ZA
dc.contributor.authorAfán, Isabelen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorRamírez, Franciscoen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBouten, Willemen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorForero, Manuela Gen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-10-31T07:38:56Z
dc.date.available2016-10-31T07:38:56Z
dc.date.issued2016en_ZA
dc.description.abstractUrban waste impacts human and environmental health, and waste management has become one of the major challenges of humanity. Concurrently with new directives due to manage this human by-product, illegal dumping has become one of the most lucrative activities of organized crime. Beyond economic fraud, illegal waste disposal strongly enhances uncontrolled dissemination of human pathogens, pollutants and invasive species. Here, we demonstrate the potential of novel real-time GPS tracking of scavenging species to detect environmental crime. Specifically, we were able to detect illegal activities at an officially closed dump, which was visited recurrently by 5 of 19 GPS-tracked yellow-legged gulls ( Larus michahellis ). In comparison with conventional land-based surveys, GPS tracking allows a much wider and cost-efficient spatiotemporal coverage, even of the most hazardous sites, while GPS data accessibility through the internet enables rapid intervention. Our results suggest that multi-species guilds of feathered detectives equipped with GPS and cameras could help fight illegal dumping at continental scales. We encourage further experimental studies, to infer waste detection thresholds in gulls and other scavenging species exploiting human waste dumps.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationNavarro, J., Grémillet, D., Afán, I., Ramírez, F., Bouten, W., & Forero, M. G. (2016). Feathered Detectives: real-time GPS tracking of scavenging gulls pinpoints illegal waste dumping. <i>PLoS One</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22363en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationNavarro, Joan, David Grémillet, Isabel Afán, Francisco Ramírez, Willem Bouten, and Manuela G Forero "Feathered Detectives: real-time GPS tracking of scavenging gulls pinpoints illegal waste dumping." <i>PLoS One</i> (2016) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22363en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNavarro, J., Grémillet, D., Afán, I., Ramírez, F., Bouten, W., & Forero, M. G. (2016). Feathered Detectives: real-time GPS tracking of scavenging gulls pinpoints illegal waste dumping. PloS one, 11(7), e0159974. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0159974en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Navarro, Joan AU - Grémillet, David AU - Afán, Isabel AU - Ramírez, Francisco AU - Bouten, Willem AU - Forero, Manuela G AB - Urban waste impacts human and environmental health, and waste management has become one of the major challenges of humanity. Concurrently with new directives due to manage this human by-product, illegal dumping has become one of the most lucrative activities of organized crime. Beyond economic fraud, illegal waste disposal strongly enhances uncontrolled dissemination of human pathogens, pollutants and invasive species. Here, we demonstrate the potential of novel real-time GPS tracking of scavenging species to detect environmental crime. Specifically, we were able to detect illegal activities at an officially closed dump, which was visited recurrently by 5 of 19 GPS-tracked yellow-legged gulls ( Larus michahellis ). In comparison with conventional land-based surveys, GPS tracking allows a much wider and cost-efficient spatiotemporal coverage, even of the most hazardous sites, while GPS data accessibility through the internet enables rapid intervention. Our results suggest that multi-species guilds of feathered detectives equipped with GPS and cameras could help fight illegal dumping at continental scales. We encourage further experimental studies, to infer waste detection thresholds in gulls and other scavenging species exploiting human waste dumps. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0159974 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - PLoS One LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2016 T1 - Feathered Detectives: real-time GPS tracking of scavenging gulls pinpoints illegal waste dumping TI - Feathered Detectives: real-time GPS tracking of scavenging gulls pinpoints illegal waste dumping UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22363 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0159974en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/22363
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationNavarro J, Grémillet D, Afán I, Ramírez F, Bouten W, Forero MG. Feathered Detectives: real-time GPS tracking of scavenging gulls pinpoints illegal waste dumping. PLoS One. 2016; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22363.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherPublic Library of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentPercy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithologyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsThis is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.en_ZA
dc.rights.holder© 2016 Navarro et alen_ZA
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0en_ZA
dc.sourcePLoS Oneen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://journals.plos.org/plosoneen_ZA
dc.subject.otherGullsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherBirdsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherForagingen_ZA
dc.subject.otherCrimeen_ZA
dc.subject.otherSpainen_ZA
dc.subject.otherAnimal sexual behavioren_ZA
dc.subject.otherBiosphereen_ZA
dc.subject.otherInvasive speciesen_ZA
dc.titleFeathered Detectives: real-time GPS tracking of scavenging gulls pinpoints illegal waste dumpingen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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