Scientists Accidentally Help Poachers Kill Endangered Species

by Andrew Follett

Scientific studies on rare or endangered species may accidentally help poachers kill them, a commentary published Friday by Australian National University concluded. The authors argued publishing studies with the locations of rare species could drive them to extinction by making it easy for poachers to find them. The authors called on researchers to adopt a policy of strategic “self-censorship” to shield the animals and plants they study...more

And here is the scary part:

Many species are likely targets for poachers, so the study suggests sharing detailed information about where the species is found only with government agencies, while hiding it from the public.  

Can you imagine what the Forest Service, BLM, etc. would do with this? Only they would have info on, say, critical habitat, while "hiding" it from individual landowners or the general public.