Analyzing a trend:

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN WILDLIFE TRACKING AND

MONITORING

Name

Name

Name

Sir Sandford Fleming College

Communications 202 – Amy Bowen

March 27, 2017

Analyzing a Trend 1

S.A.M. Environmental Group300 Sanderling Crescent, Lindsay, Ontario K9V 7L4

Letter of Transmittal

March 15, 2017Ms. Amy BowenCommunications DirectorFleming College, Frost Campus

Dear Ms. Bowen,

Per your request, please find attached our report regarding the latest advances in technology in

wildlife monitoring and tracking.

The following report assesses methods used to monitor wildlife historically and shortcomings

of those methods in contrast to current day methods using new technologies.

We focused in part on radio telemetry and capture / mark / recapture methods. We highlight

examples of bird migration monitoring which were sourced from the Bird Studies Canada project

Motus. In addition we also examine what the future holds for this trend and the challenges

created by the wealth of information we now have from these new technologies.

We hope you find the enclosed information of value to the needs of your organization and look

forward to discussing any questions or concerns you may have in person.

Yours truly,Frost Consulting Group

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………….....3Introduction……………………………………………………………..........................................4Findings and Analysis

Trend Description………………………….……………………………………………...5Causes and Effects………………………………………..……………………………….6Looking Ahead……………………………………………………………………………7

Conclusion…………………………………. …………………………………………………….9References………………………………………………………………………………………..10

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Executive Summary

To learn about wildlife we need to observe and monitor it. For many years scientists have

tracked and monitored wildlife using a variety of methods. Historically these methods required a

large amount of effort in order to obtain useable data, while still having significant gaps in

coverage and often requiring large amounts of resources. This was both financially costly and

usually stressful on the animals being studied due to repeated handling and human interaction.

Recent advances in technology - both in transmitter size and in detection capability have

minimized the amount of handling and impact on the wildlife while providing substantially more

data results for scientists to use. Sensor networks such as Motus are expanding to provide

coverage of large regions of North and South America, enabling us to track the movements of

migratory birds and other flying animals in detail that was previously impossible. The data

obtained, in combination with the analytical capabilities of GIS software, are providing us with

information required to protect key locations vital to the survival of many species.

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Introduction

With human impact on birds and wildlife increasing dramatically, it`s becoming ever

more important that we monitor wildlife movements to help us determine the best ways to

protect and preserve the natural world for future generations. Scientists seeking to learn more

about the life histories of birds and other wildlife have used various forms of tracking and

monitoring techniques to acquire this information over the years. The purpose of this report is to

discuss technology used for wildlife tracking and monitoring, specifically as it relates to birds

and other wildlife, and to highlight the advances and trends in this technology in recent years.

This report will compare the differences of wildlife monitoring as it was historically carried out

and compare that with the technological advancements in the last few decades. We will discuss

advancements in radio telemetry methods and monitoring systems (such as Motus) that are being

used for tracking birds. Finally, we will also look to where this field is heading in the future and

the challenges we still face.

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Findings and Analysis

Trend Description

Wildlife tracking has been used by scientists as a way to gather evidence on abundance of

wildlife and as a way to track movements of animals over their territory. Historically, scientists

have used traditional methods of wildlife monitoring and tracking such as ground based radio

telemetry and mark/recapture (banding) methods (Environment Canada, 1999). These are often

labour intensive, requiring many staff or volunteers to carry out the field work, hand written field

notes or logs, and are often limited in scale due to lack of coverage. In the past there were also

issues with recording, storing, reproducing and transferring data. First generation tracking

devices were limited due to size, weight, cost and reliability. Concerns have also been noted

about the potential impacts of the tracking devices on wildlife behaviour and survivorship

(Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks: Resources Inventory Branch, 1998).

More recently technology has progressed rapidly and many of the previously stated

obstacles are no longer an issue. New tracking devices and technologies are smaller, satellite

enabled, quicker, lighter, more reliable, and more cost efficient. Devices are now small enough

to be used to track specimens as small as hummingbirds and even dragonflies (see Figure 1).

Additionally, through the creation of networks of electronic sensors and human participants, new

technology has shaped the way in which wildlife is monitored (Audrey Verma, Rene van der

Wal, Anke Fischer, 2016). Now it is not necessary to recapture wildlife after it has been initially

tagged - transmitters last longer and can transmit data over larger areas and much longer time

frames.

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Data transmission and storage has also increased dramatically and data can now be

translated into more easily understood formats (images) and be used by non-specialists (i.e.

visualization of bird migration) (Audrey Verma, Rene van der Wal, Anke Fischer, 2016).

Causes and Effects

Due to the limitations of traditional monitoring techniques, gaps in the overall picture of

wildlife movement and behaviour patterns left scientists with many unanswered questions.

Recent advancements in technology are enabling us to fill in these gaps and provide a more

complete picture of aspects of wildlife such as migration. With a network of sensors now in

place, examining entire migration patterns for a species has become a real possibility. For

example, we are now able to track the exact movements of migratory birds, including where they

are stopping over and how our activities are influencing their migration routes (Figure 2).

A current day network which enables us to do this is Motus. A project of Bird Studies

Canada, Motus is an automated radio telemetry array. Bird Studies Canada states, “[the] purpose

of Motus is to facilitate landscape-scale research and education on the ecology and conservation

of migratory animals” (Bird Studies Canada, 2017). Motus is currently the world’s largest central

hub for detection data which it receives from more than 300 receiving stations (Bird Studies

Canada, 2017). Motus allows researchers to track the movements of birds, bats, and other flying

Figure 1: Dragonfly with radio transmitter (motis.org, n.d)

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animals at local and regional scales, and over vast distances. Motus has given scientists in the

Western Hemisphere new details of exact breeding and wintering habitats, and migration routes

of birds (Bird Life International, 2015). This allows data from many independent researchers to

be used by a larger collaborative of researchers, optimizing efforts, resources and money spent.

With this information scientists can better identify areas which are priorities for protection.

Adverse effects on wildlife are minimized by capturing wildlife only once. Less labour is

required overall compared to traditional methods and the return on investment is significantly

higher with more data produced from over a larger geographic area.

Looking Ahead

New technology has enabled great advancement in the field of wildlife monitoring and

will likely continue to do so for many years to come. Along with these advances in monitoring

comes the great wealth of new data being collected. The challenge moving forward is how to use

this data to benefit and conserve the wildlife we are studying. Data management, Geospatial,

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other information technologies hold the key to how

this data is used. GIS technology allows the scientists, researchers and even the public to

effectively manage wildlife migratory habitats and behaviors in order to identify areas of

Figure 1: Migration routes of Semipalmated Sandpipers and White-rumped Sandpipers.

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conservation required for these animals. GIS provides visual data of population and distribution,

habitat use and preferences, progress of conservation activities, and historical to present regional

biodiversity. (ESRI, 2007) Geospatial analysis is an important part of how researchers are

gaining an understanding of the health of species in the wild. ArcGIS software helps scientist to

utilize the data collected from these tracking devices.

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Conclusions

Increased human influence on the planet has led to the decline of many species and their habitats.

With greater loss of habitat comes a significant need to protect remaining pockets that are

required by species for survival. The lack of coverage and large effort required by traditional

wildlife tracking methods, for example banding of migratory birds, has made remote radio

telemetry a key development for future studies. Sensor networks such as Motus allow us to track

the movements of animals as small as butterflies and dragonflies in much greater detail than was

previously possible, while also reducing the stress of repeated handling on the study subjects.

Used in combination with GIS software, this data can provide us with the information required to

protect wildlife and habitats key to their survival. As we prepare for the future, we need to

ensure that we continually improve our methods for monitoring wildlife so that we are able to

preserve nature for generations to come.

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References

Audrey Verma, Rene van der Wal, Anke Fischer. (2016). Imagining wildlife: New technologies and

animal censuses, maps and museums. Retrieved from Science Direct:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718515302669

Bird Life International. (2015). Motus. Retrieved from Bird Studies:

http://www.birdscanada.org/about.jsp?lang=EN

Bird Studies Canada. (2017). Motus Wildlife Tracking System. Retrieved from Motus: http://motus.org/

Bird Studies Canada. (2014). Motus Wildlife Tracking System. Retrieved from Motus:

http://motus.org/data/demo/sandpipers2014.html

Environment Canada. (1999, July/August). Wildlife Tracking Technologies. Science and the

Environment Bulletin(13). Retrieved from http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/En1-

28-1-1999-08E.pdf

ESRI. (2007, 12). GIS Best Practices. Retrieved from GIS Wildlife Conservation:

https://www.esri.com/library/bestpractices/wildlife-conservation.pdf

Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks: Resource Inventory Branch. (1998). Wildlife Radio Telemetry

- Standards for Components of British Columbia's Biodiversity No. 5. Resource Inventory

Committee. Retrieved from http://www.ericlwalters.ca/telemetry.pdf