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CHANCE OBSERVATION [1 record]

Record 1 2020-05-01

English

Subject field(s)
  • Environmental Studies and Analyses
  • Bird Watching (Hobbies)
CONT

Incidental observations are casual wildlife sightings that happen when you're outside – hiking, camping, swimming, driving, etc. Spotting a species in the "right place at the right time" can have a far-reaching effect. Knowing what species are present in different locations helps identify areas that are important (e.g. breeding sites, hibernation sites, migration routes, etc.), which also helps to improve conservation efforts.

CONT

Chance observations provided the earliest data on raptor diet, and are still recorded today. These are the events all naturalists happen to see, such as a flying buzzard with an especially long snake dangling limply below it ... There was no forethought to go and record what buzzards were eating, but having seen something exciting the observer may want to record it in a local bird report or online. Why should a modern scientist bother with such unsystematic data when trying to make an assessment of buzzard diet? ... while such chance observations can't be used on their own to understand common buzzard behaviour, they do supplement the more rigorous data collection and help to complete the picture of diet diversity.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Études et analyses environnementales
  • Observation des oiseaux (Passe-temps)
CONT

Consigner les observations fortuites d'animaux sauvages constitue un moyen peu coûteux et efficace de recueillir des renseignements sur les tendances à long terme de l'abondance et de la répartition des espèces sauvages. C'est également une activité à laquelle les visiteurs du parc peuvent participer et ainsi contribuer à la surveillance de l'intégrité écologique du parc. Dans le parc national des Monts-Torngat et ses environs, ces observations sont consignées sur des fiches dont les données sont saisies dans une base de données.

Spanish

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