Can mobile phone networks and Bluetooth technology help researchers improve animal tracking?

Animal tracking studies for ecology and conservation all face technological limitations such as high costs or the need for tags to remain in close proximity to detectors. In research published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution, investigators describe a solution that can overcome many current limitations by employing the massive global network of personal mobile phones as gateways for tracking animals using Bluetooth low energy beacons.

In areas with medium to high density of people, these simple, lightweight, and inexpensive beacons can provide regular updates of position with a battery life of 1–3 years. Through field testing with sulphur-crested cockatoos and white-winged choughs, the beacons were capable of producing reliable high-frequency tracking data. The researchers were further able to demonstrate the potential of this method to study movements, home ranges, and social networks of urban living animals.

“We know that wildlife exhibit fascinating responses to urban habitats, and the ability to cheaply and reliably track animals will help to unlock many secrets of our urban animals,” said corresponding author Damien R. Farine, PhD, of the Australian National University.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/2041-210X.14433

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
Methods in Ecology and Evolution promotes the development of new methods in ecology and evolution, and facilitates their dissemination and uptake by the research community. We publish papers across a wide range of subdisciplines and provide a single forum for publishing analytical, practical, or conceptual methodological developments in ecology and evolutionary biology.

About Wiley      
Wiley is one of the world’s largest publishers and a trusted leader in research and learning. Our industry-leading content, services, platforms, and knowledge networks are tailored to meet the evolving needs of our customers and partners, including researchers, students, instructors, professionals, institutions, and corporations. We empower knowledge-seekers to transform today’s biggest obstacles into tomorrow’s brightest opportunities. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.