Effects of Phone Mast-Generated Electromagnetic Radiation Gradient on the Distribution of Terrestrial Birds and Insects in a Savanna Protected Area

Inappropriate deployment of linear physical infrastructures, such as game fences, roads, electric power-lines, buildings, and phone masts can be detrimental to wild fauna. Fatalities arising from wildlife collisions with such infrastructure have been widely documented. However, there are non-physical and less studied effects, such as the ‘hidden’ negative ecological effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on terrestrial fauna. In this study, the effects of phone mast-generated EMR on abundance, richness and distribution of terrestrial birds and insects in the Kafue National Park were studied. Ten (10) sample plots of 100 m × 100 m each were set at three (3) radial locations, based on the phone mast generated EMR strengths. For birds, point counts, while hand collection, cryptic searching, vegetation beating, sweep netting, pitfall trapping, sorting and identification for insects were employed for data collection. Data were analysed using biological indices (i.e., Shannon-Wiener and Simpson’s) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The wildlife diversity significantly reduced with increasing EMR strengths, especially in areas (<12 km from phone mast) with greater than 250 ± 20 μA/m EMR levels. We suggest that deployment of wireless telecommunication infrastructure should take into account EMR levels, safe zones and avoid or minimize biological loss in hotspots.