Sticking Cameras On Wild Animals - Legit Science Or Amusement

[DF]

As of late, I'm noticing that virtually every PBS nature show features wild animals - seals - bears - manta rays, are in direct service to "research" by having cameras put on them, and then I guess its "take it from there.."
When I saw a seal anesthetized in order to enable the camera to be "implanted", I wonder if there's trauma to these animals and if this whole practice itself is going to far. Then it was some rare bear in Europe with these huge radio collars that looked big, bulky. Getting very skeptical of this....

 

[Sirius Glass]

If someone implanted a camera in me, I would take great exception!

 

[MattKing]

It probably depends on who is doing it, and what their purpose is.
There are large numbers of species that are in real danger of extinction, and about whom very little is known about their behaviour in the wild. Recent advances make it practical to perform this type of surveillance.
If the purpose is to gain better knowledge with an eye to improving protections, it may be completely worthwhile.
If the purpose is to provide cheap entertainment for the masses, not so much.

 

[bunktheory65]

the implantation of devices into and onto animals is a sham effort by so called researchers looking for ways to pay off educational bills.

The implantation has simply given people a better idea of the habitats, seasonal ranges, and common roads between seasonal ranges.

Allows for increased harvests,,, yeah lets increase the harvest of almost extinct species.. and allows better poaching of other species, tigers and elephants.

Also causes infections in animals, distress, impairs their ability to live. Seriously you have a hard time swimming, what happens if i put a camera or big tag through your neck?

 

[guangong]

Location radio callers on local bears are supposed to be a deterrent to pouching, although I heard that pouches simply put collars on interstate trucks. I agree with MattKing, depends on who is doing it and why.
When I was younger I had quite romantic notions about science, but in today’s world I believe that much of science is as corrupt as any other aspect of modern life. For example, I was shocked that NYU Langone hospital has jumped on the transgender industry. There is more to male-female than a dinky and hormones: for example skeletal structure of pelvis, brow ridges, chromosomes, etc.
So, like DF, we should have a large dose of skepticism regarding the purpose of these cameras.
Again climate change: current climate is closely related to the revolution of Earth about the sun, and so climate is always changing. Who says that the climate we were born into is the normal climate? By the way, this years summer so cool that it doesn’t look like my Hawthorne tree will have ripe fruit. But climate change is a huge academic profitable industry.

 

[ic-racer]

Went to the Zoo for the night light show. I told my kids that when they have kids they will be placing the lights ON the animals. For example, the elephants will have blue glow lights underneath, etc. Caribou will have Christmas lights on the antlers, etc...

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I think we should encourage animals to take pictures and help science.

 

[MartinCrabtree]

The answer lies in the data collected and what's done with it. If it ends up on utoob well.....doubtful any real science is involved.

And don't get me started on zoos.

 

[BobD]

Surely these cameras, transmitters, tags and other hardware attached to animals must be detrimental. They restrict movement, distract and annoy, make them more visible to predators and harder to escape or move through brush, burrows, etc. And what about the effects on mating? Don't they have enough stress worrying about being eaten to burden them with this stuff?

And, what happens when the transmitter is damaged or the battery dies? Or, worse -- the battery explodes as they sometimes do. How do they find them to remove it?

 

[NB23]

True to my human (shitty) species, I would answer that if the animal in question is paid for his services then what’s the problem?

 

[bunktheory65]

Surely these cameras, transmitters, tags and other hardware attached to animals must be detrimental. They restrict movement, distract and annoy, make them more visible to predators and harder to escape or move through brush, burrows, etc. And what about the effects on mating? Don't they have enough stress worrying about being eaten to burden them with this stuff?

And, what happens when the transmitter is damaged or the battery dies? Or, worse -- the battery explodes as they sometimes do. How do they find them to remove it?

The only collars that get managed OVER time are those on bears and wolves. All others just get left on, and thats that.

Thats the problem, it messes things up for the critters and the so called researchers dont care.

As far as climate change goes, the most "irrefutable proof" that is used is pictures of World WAR 2 aircraft that were abandoned in 1945 on iceland/greenland air fields. Somehow its a sign of horrible global warming, that the planes were encased in ice, and 70 years later are suddenly being revealed by melting ice.. makes you wonder how these folks can tie shoes

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

When asking an 'or' question - "science or entertainment" - the answer is usually "both." But people don't like such answers.

"Go not to the Elves for counsel for they will
answer both no and yes." J.R.R.T.​

Freud said that deep understanding is accompanied by deep ambivalence.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

makes you wonder how these folks can tie shoes

They can't - they wear sandals with Velcro fastenings. (looking down) Damn, I wear sandals with Velcro fastenings.

Thinking we are in charge of the climate is a great hubris. The climate is in charge of us.

 

[NB23]

Thinking we are in charge of the climate is a great hubris. The climate is in charge of us.

Exactly.

Groenland was a pasture island well before it froze. And no, there were no cars, nor evil plastic bags, back then. It was just the earth doing its thing.

We live in Bullshit times. That’s what it is. And this is why I burry myself in my darkroom everyday. To save myself from this.

 

[Arthurwg]

If someone implanted a camera in me, I would take great exception!

But would it be OK to just strap it on to your neck? I'm sure that would produce some images worthy of study. Could be a PhD thesis: "The Doings of SG."

 

[Arthurwg]

Location radio callers on local bears are supposed to be a deterrent to pouching, although I heard that pouches simply put collars on interstate trucks. I agree with MattKing, depends on who is doing it and why.
When I was younger I had quite romantic notions about science, but in today’s world I believe that much of science is as corrupt as any other aspect of modern life. For example, I was shocked that NYU Langone hospital has jumped on the transgender industry. There is more to male-female than a dinky and hormones: for example skeletal structure of pelvis, brow ridges, chromosomes, etc.
So, like DF, we should have a large dose of skepticism regarding the purpose of these cameras.
Again climate change: current climate is closely related to the revolution of Earth about the sun, and so climate is always changing. Who says that the climate we were born into is the normal climate? By the way, this years summer so cool that it doesn’t look like my Hawthorne tree will have ripe fruit. But climate change is a huge academic profitable industry.

Transgender? There's gold in those hills, even though there is no such thing as transgender beyond an entry in the DSM.

 

[gone]

They can put anything on any animal, at any time, it's fine w/ me. I don't care at all, as long as they limit it to sharks, alligators, rattle snakes and bulls. That will separate the men from the boys (somehow, I can't see many women doing this).

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I rather wear a camera than false teeth.