Effects of the presence of official-looking volunteers on harassment of New Zealand fur seals
-
Published source details
Acevedo-Gutierrez A., Acevedo L. & Boren L. (2011) Effects of the presence of official-looking volunteers on harassment of New Zealand fur seals. Conservation Biology, 25, 623-627.
Published source details Acevedo-Gutierrez A., Acevedo L. & Boren L. (2011) Effects of the presence of official-looking volunteers on harassment of New Zealand fur seals. Conservation Biology, 25, 623-627.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
| Action | Category | |
|---|---|---|
|
Use volunteers to deter tourists from harassing marine and freshwater mammals at wildlife-viewing sites Action Link |
 |
-
Use volunteers to deter tourists from harassing marine and freshwater mammals at wildlife-viewing sites
A randomized, controlled study in 2008–2009 at a waterfall of the Ohau Stream, New Zealand (Acevedo-Gutierrez et al. 2011) found that the presence of an official-looking volunteer resulted in fewer tourists harassing New Zealand fur seals Arctocephalus forsteri than when a volunteer was not present. The number of tourist groups in which at least one tourist harassed seals was lower when an official-looking volunteer was present (14 of 108 groups, 13%) than when a volunteer was not present (56 of 146 groups, 38%). A total of 19,102 tourists visited the waterfall in 254 groups (108 groups with volunteer present, 146 groups without). The official-looking volunteer wore a neon vest and sat on a rock on a viewing platform located 500–1,000 m from a waterfall visited by seal young from a nearby breeding colony. Tourists harassed seals by approaching, touching, or throwing objects at them. The behaviour of each of 254 tourist groups was recorded by a hidden observer on 68 random days at random times between October 2008 and June 2009.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
)_2023.JPG)
