Rocky Mountain Tracking

By Greg Bartlett

Despite our current technological advances, there are still many animals about which people just don’t know enough.  For instance, scientists often lack information about endangered species, which could help preserve the animals and prevent their extinction.  Following these animals around in the wild to observe them and gather information is often just not feasible, partly because the animal may be dangerous or may travel too quickly, and partly because the environment and weather may be a serious issue.  Who wants to follow a wolf around in the arctic, anyway?

GPS Tracking Units & Wildlife

GPS tracking units now allow scientists to better study wildlife, including endangered species and those who live in climates where humans can’t easily survive.  For instance, GPS collars on arctic wolves permit scientists for the first time to find out what the wolves do during the long and harsh winters.  Wolves in Oregon have also been fitted with collars which the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife can use to monitor and gather information about the wolf pack.

Monitoring wildlife with GPS tracking units also helps protect people.  An endangered species of black bears in India have killed over two dozen people in the past four years, but now that they are wearing GPS collars, officials will be alerted if the bears come too close to people.  Officials can then alert people to the danger while removing the bears to a safer location.  In California, the Fish and Game Department tracks deer in real time, allowing them to be alerted if a deer heads toward a road.  For the many people who want to avoid running into a deer and possibly totaling their car, plus avoiding any injuries that may occur, knowing whether or not a deer is nearby would a huge comfort.

Most importantly for the animals themselves, GPS tracking units help scientists to gather as much information as possible to help protect them and further their survival.  Endangered animals such as the West African giraffe who are losing their habitats and whose existence is thus threatened can be monitored with GPS tracking collars.  Scientists can then learn more about their movements, habitat requirements, and how humans can best further their survival.

No matter what the wildlife species is that humans are trying to track and learn more about, whether it is bears, marine life, wolves, cougars, giraffes, or another endangered species, GPS tracking units are a new way for humans to care for and protect the environment in which they live.

By Harriette Halepis

Wisconsin State Journal, February, 11, 2010, Wisconsin - It’s no secret that the Department of Natural Resources has been tracking various wild animals for some time now. While this form of GPS tracking proves to be very useful, attaching and removing GPS trackers from some animals proves to be difficult.

Wildlife & GPS Tracking

Some animals that are currently being tracked by the Department of Natural Resources include bullsnakes, fish, ruffed grouse, wolves, deer, elk, rattlesnakes, and blue-winged teal. Researchers use the information gathered from GPS trackers to identify mating patterns, trekking patterns, and a wealth of other important animal welfare information. This form of GPS tracking has been used for some time now, though researchers have begun encountering a small problem involving collecting data.

The main problem with this type of GPS system is that once a GPS tracker has been attached to an animal, the tracker must be retrieved in order for researchers to collect the data. This can be done by one of two methods: the first involves the actual retrieval of the animal being tracked, and the second involves a programmable GPS collar that automatically falls off of an animal once a tracking period has ended.

While the second retrieval option seems to be the most sensible, these collars don’t always work. This often means that researchers have to capture an animal in order to gain GPS information. While retrieving a collar from a rabbit may be relatively safe, retrieving a collar from, say, a wolf is a different story.

Still, according to Nancy Matthews (Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the University of Wisconsin) “the state-of-the-art systems, which cost in excess of $2500 can transmit information back to the satellite and the information can then be downloaded by someone in an office…(Wisconsin State Journal).“

Throughout the past year, researchers have gained an immense amount of information about various species that have been track via GPS. Without this technology, myths that surround animals such as deer and elk would go unresolved. As it stands, researchers like Nancy Matthews have had the opportunity to dispel “…several myths about deer in the (Wisconsin) area (Wisconsin State Journal).

GPS tracking technology is used in many different countries throughout the globe to track wild animals. From wolves that reside in Wisconsin to elephants that live in the African Busch, GPS tracking is changing the way that the world understands wild animals. While collecting GPS collars from these animals may not always be easy, the amount of information that is gained is indispensible.

By DONNA SANTI / guest columnist

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-          Donna Santi is a creative writer for LandAirSea Systems, a Woodstock, IL-based manufacturer and distributor of expertly-engineered GPS tracking systems, software and accessories. For information about LandAirSea, visit www.landairsea.com. To contact the writer, email donna.santi@landairsea.com

Animal researchers and legislators, puzzled and concerned about a 13-year decline in the moose population in Minnesota, plan to use hi-tech GPS tracking equipment to get some concrete answers.

Wildlife & GPS Tracking

The state’s Department of Natural Resources does an annual head count of the large mammals by flying over their vast range in northeastern Minnesota. The numbers are estimates, because it is difficult to type the migrating moose by age, sex and direction of travel based on a brief glimpse from the sky.  But researchers say they’ve seen an obvious pattern that cannot be denied: When compared with the moose populations in other states, Minnesota has fewer of the animals in overall number, and fewer females (cows) accompanied by calves.

The number of moose deaths, non-related to hunting, has risen, but researchers cannot pinpoint an obvious cause. It could be the result of vehicle accidents, disease or predators.

Another possibility is climate change. Moose are built for the cold. Summer temperatures in the state impact their mobility and health so they must move to marshier, forested habitats.

There are currently about 5,500 moose in the DNR research area (down from 7,600 last year). The one-year drop was significant enough for state lawmakers to take notice. A research and management committee was organized and state funds were earmarked to find out where the moose go for food, shelter and mating; and how they die. Those answers will come from GPS tracking devices.

In February, a group of 14 adult moose - both bulls and cows - were captured briefly in Voyageurs National Park and furnished with GPS tracking system collars.  GPS tracking technology has moved well beyond the obvious applications such as vehicle tracking, fleet management and prisoner monitoring. Similar GPS systems are successfully used to monitor all types of wildlife, including bears, birds, tortoise and wolves.

Since 2002, moose in Minnesota have been tracked with radio frequency tracking systems, built into collars. But traditional radio tracking collars must be removed to retrieve the data. Also they require researchers to stay within a certain range of the collars to get readings, so the project is labor-intensive.

Real-time GPS tracking collars are a newer, more reliable technology. Once the GPS tracking units are securely attached to the animals they’ll record and transmit location data every few minutes. The readings can be seen and studied from any Web-enabled electronic device, anywhere in the world, from the comfort of a home, vehicle, or research center. The high-tech moose trackers are engineered to be highly sensitive GPS receivers, so they will work in all sorts of terrain. The tracking systems have a long-life battery and are designed to come loose and fall off the animal shortly after the batteries lose their power.

Scientists have long suspected that something is causing the state’s moose to die, well short of their expected life span. Other preservation and monitoring methods failed to solve that mystery, because the animals often died deep in the woods and their bodies were never recovered.  Now researchers will be able to tell almost immediately when one of the animals dies, because the tracking data will show no movement. No matter how hidden the body is, the moose can be found by its GPS tracking coordinates. The animal can be examined and tested for cause of death.

Sources: Duluth News Tribune, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

By Greg Bartlett

Nearly everyone will admit to knowing someone with an unusual pet. Maybe it’s the creepy guy with the snake collection, or that girl who positively adores her talking Hill Myna. Petting zoos too are very popular with kids this holiday season, and taking your kids will give them a chance to interact with a variety of unique species. Thankfully, these kinds of pets aren’t apt to wander far, but those with more mobile animals may want to consider a GPS tracking system. Easily one of the most in-demand items during this time of year, a GPS tracking device under the tree is sure to bring a smile to any pet owner.

Tracking Animals with GPS

One couple in Ohio is certainly putting theirs to good use. Steve Heathman and Dr. Melanie Butera have a household pet especially prone to wander. When a farmer brought an injured deer to Dr. Butera, a veterinarian, the couple simply couldn’t let the animal go. They named her Daffodil (Dillie for short) and nursed her back to health, deciding to keep the animal indoors with their two cats and one dog. Dille’s now housetrained and very much part of the family, so when she wandered out of an open gate this past summer, Heathman and Butera decided to purchase a collar outfitted with a GPS tracking device. Now her movements can be monitored with a computer, and the (slightly out of the ordinary) Ohio family has a little more peace of mind.

In a far less comfortable environment are New England’s moose herds, who nonetheless benefit from GPS tracking technology, as well. In case you’re wondering how well your pet’s GPS tracker will hold up, just follow the data provided by the Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit as they seek to protect moose that will contend with harsh conditions this winter. Researchers have outfitted many moose with GPS tracking devices which will let authorities see how animal populations are reacting to lengthening road networks and expanding neighborhoods. Ultimately, researchers hope to protect moose and humans from fatal road collisions or other accidents.

Yet the beauty of a GPS tracking system is its scalability. Whether you’re tracking one individual unit or hundreds, a fleet of fast-moving vehicles or a few slow-moving deer, an effectively implemented GPS tracking system can provide you with all information you need to keep what you love safe.

By Greg Bartlett

Wildlife researchers in Wabasha, Minnesota have managed to carefully tag and track a golden eagle on his route over Lake Superior and the Hudson Bay. Affectionately dubbed Whitey for his lighter colored back, the eagle’s movements have yielded new insight into the behavior of this reclusive species.

Wildlife & GPS Tracking

The GPS tracker was installed last year after Whitey got caught in a mislaid hunter’s trap. He was taken to the veterinarians at the National Eagle Center, who operated on his broken leg and nursed him back to health. After Whitey was fully recovered and could fly again, researchers placed a small GPS tracker on his back that would minimize its weight and not interfere with his wings. The device includes a small panel that allows it to continuously update Whitey’s friends as to his whereabouts. Since being released, the eagle has flown north of Hudson Bay and summered above the Arctic Circle, demonstrating a remarkable tenacity for a bird whose leg not long ago was useless.

The National Eagle Center is a premier research and education center located in Wabasha. Visitors can view eagles cared for by the staff, including bald eagles and others. The Center has been tracking eagles in the wild for years, and of course their job has been made much easier with the advent of GPS trackers.

Speaking to a reporter from the local television station WCCO, Scott Mehus, an eagle expert with the NEC, expressed cautious optimism regarding the length of time Whitey will be able to use his new GPS tracker. They are hoping that the eagle will provide them with information concerning his whereabouts for at least five to seven years. The eagle’s current location is in Menomonie, and Scott told reporters that he hoped a team would be able to travel up and check on Whitey in the coming months.

Wildlife tracking is just one of the many fields in which GPS trackers are making exceptional advances. Circuit miniaturization and innovative power systems are making these devices more useful, efficient, and affordable all the time. Wildlife researchers can of course employ GPS trackers to keep tabs on endangered species and learn more about the migration patterns of air- and water-borne animals. Simple practicality dictates that even the most dedicated of experts couldn’t follow a golden eagle around on foot. Thankfully, the days without adaptable GPS tracking are long gone.