A cost-effective and informative method of GPS tracking wildlife
Blake M. Allan A C , John P. Y. Arnould A , Jennifer K. Martin B and Euan G. Ritchie A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Vic. 3125, Australia.
B Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: bmallan@deakin.edu.au
Wildlife Research 40(5) 345-348 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR13069
Submitted: 12 April 2013 Accepted: 23 July 2013 Published: 19 August 2013
Abstract
In wildlife research, our ability to GPS track sufficient numbers of individuals is always limited by cost, which restricts inference of species–habitat relationships. Here, we describe the modification and use of a relatively new and inexpensive off-the-shelf GPS device, to provide detailed and accurate information on the movement patterns of individuals (mountain brushtail possums, Trichosurus cunninghami), including how movement varies through time, and how individuals interact with each other. Our results demonstrated that this technology has enormous potential to contribute to an improved understanding of the movement patterns and habitat preferences of wildlife at a fraction of the cost of traditional GPS technology.
Additional keywords: animal movement, ecological niche, habitat use, home range, locomotion, radio telemetry.
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