eve
Mar 21st, 2005, 06:41 AM
Today's UK Independed reports that scientists studying the demise of the water vole have discovered that their own research technique is unwittingly contributing to the decline. The study has found that tiny radio transmitters used by zoologists to monitor the movements of water voles in the wild appear to skew the sex ratio in favour of males to the disadvantage of females.
The findings will cause consternation among field biologists who have been taught that the radio tracking of wild animals has little or no effect on the survival of those individuals carrying the transmitters.
The findings will cause consternation among field biologists who have been taught that the radio tracking of wild animals has little or no effect on the survival of those individuals carrying the transmitters.