Potential undesired effects associated with biologging.
The process of capturing an animal is always a stressful experience and
potentially harmful to the individual’s health (Denis et al. 2012). In
addition, the attachment of biologgers forces the animal to carry an
artificial device that conditions its physiology, behavior and ecology
or even causes injuries (Wilson et al. 1986; Bodey et al. 2018; Fritz et
al. 2020; Clewley et al. 2021). Thus, carrying a biologger represents an
individual disadvantage that can cause adverse effects in both the short
and long term, ultimately affecting both reproductive success and
survival (e.g. Bodey et al. 2018; Gillies et al. 2020; Portugal & White
2020; Puehringer-Sturmayr et al. 2020; Homberger et al. 2021). Cannot
excluded that the accumulation of these effects may condition population
trends and even become a conservation problem in the case of rare or
endangered species. But even in the case of non-endangered or abundant
species, we must not lose the ethical duty to preserve the welfare of
study animals. Therefore, we must ensure that the number of animals
marked complies with the ethical pillars of the three Rs of Reduce,
Replace and Refine (Russell & Burch 1959).
In addition, biologgers are high-tech devices composed of potentially
polluting elements, such as lithium, plastics or carbon fiber (Akram et
al. 2019). These materials are often difficult to recover or recycle, so
they will most likely be abandoned in the environment. Although
despicable in a global context, this is an additional undesirable effect
that should be considered when planning a biologging project.
Overall, the sum of the risks to the individuals and species under study
and the possibilities of contamination are sufficiently high that we
must ensure that the scientific knowledge generated by a biologging
project is the maximum possible. Therefore, the trivialization of
biologging and its use for anecdotal purposes or for mere personal
curiosity is a phenomenon which should be avoided.