Raptor research during the COVID-19 pandemic provides invaluable opportunities for conservation biology. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sumasgutner, Petra; Buij, Ralph; McClure, Christopher J.W.; Shaw, Phil; Dykstra, Cheryl R.; Kumar, Nishant; Rutz, Christian
• Is Part Of: Biological conservation. Volume 260(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Anthropause -- Before-after-control-impact (BACI) -- Birds of prey -- Human disturbance -- Human-wildlife interactions -- Lockdown -- Natural experiment; Conservation of natural resources -- Periodicals; Nature conservation -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 333.9516
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109149
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0006-3207

Abstract

Abstract: Research is underway to examine how a wide range of animal species have responded to reduced levels of human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this perspective article, we argue that raptors (i.e., the orders Accipitriformes, Cariamiformes, Cathartiformes, Falconiformes, and Strigiformes) are particularly well-suited for investigating potential 'anthropause' effects: they are sensitive to environmental perturbation, affected by various human activities, and include many locally and globally threatened species. Lockdowns likely alter extrinsic factors that normally limit raptor populations. These environmental changes are in turn expected to influence – mediated by behavioral and physiological responses – the intrinsic (demographic) factors that ultimately determine raptor population levels and distributions. Using this population-limitation framework, we identify a range of research opportunities and conservation challenges that have arisen during the pandemic, related to changes in human disturbance, light and noise pollution, collision risk, road-kill availability, supplementary feeding, and persecution levels. Importantly, raptors attract intense research interest, with many professional and amateur researchers running long-term monitoring programs, often incorporating community-science components, advanced tracking technology and field-methodological approaches that allow flexible timing, enabling continued data collection before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdowns. To facilitate and coordinate global collaboration, we are hereby launching the 'Global Anthropause Raptor Research Network' (GARRN). We invite the international raptor research community to join this inclusive and diverse group, to tackle ambitious analyses across geographic regions, ecosystems, species, and gradients of lockdown perturbation. Under the most tragic of circumstances, the COVID-19 anthropause has afforded an invaluable opportunity to significantly boost global raptor conservation. Highlights: Raptors are well-suited to the study of potential COVID-19 anthropause effects. Extrinsic factors that limit raptor populations have been altered by lockdowns. This has likely affected raptor behavior, movements, reproduction and mortality. Before–during–after lockdown comparisons can inform conservation efforts. The 'Global Anthropause Raptor Research Network' will investigate these impacts.