Animal translocation:long-term human influences on the vertebrate zoogeography of Australasia (natural dispersal versus ethnophoresy)

Abstract

A proposed new term ethnophoresy defines a Late Quaternary biological process that occurs when organisms are able to breach geographical barriers and disperse to new areas by hitching a ride in human vessels or cargo. In this paper a combination of literature analysis, historical research and original fieldwork is used to review the impact of ethnophoresy / anthropogenic animal translocation from ancient times to the present on the vertebrate zoogeography of Wallacea, New Guinea and the Northern Melanesian Islands, referred to collectively as the Circum New Guinea Archipelago. The focus of the paper is on translocated wild rather than domesticated vertebrates. The processes through which these species have been either unwittingly, accidentally or deliberately translocated to new areas are reviewed. Three principal categories of introduced wild species are recognised. These include stowaways, ethnotramps and incidentals. Ethnotramps include economically and culturally favoured animals such as Rusa Deer Cer...