Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyingScot
I'm pretty sure TLC would assert that the tagging is the only way they can track loons rigorously enough to know if the first 3 items and other interventions and human impacts are helping or harming, and by how much. It's the difference between a data-driven approach and just sort of hoping for the best
|
I am not sure how useful the tagging has been in that regards..... One of the big initiatives to understand the loon population and weather it is continuing to grow or not, are organized counts of the loon population which happen yearly. These are done with the help of volunteers, who observe for several hours on a specified morning, and take notes about how many loons where seen, and where. As I recall the do also try and specify if the loon as been tagged or not.
To my knowledge, to make the tag useful, that have to get right up and personal with it..... which would mean re-capture...I have not heard of the TLC doing this... where the tags become useful are when dead loons are found they can put together a better time line of the loons life....