IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Fielitz, U. | |
| Satellite Telemetry in Wildlife Research Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow | |
| 2003 Series | |
The telemetry of wildlife with the aid of satellites has been possible since 1978 with the advent of the Argos-system, with which countless studies have already been conducted worldwide. The Argos-receiver is available in a weight of 10 g and can therefore be used for onithological studies. The positions are transferred directly to the user via a ground station. However, the error with which a position is determined is between 100 and 3000 m.The Global Positioning System (GPS), available for civilian use since 1994, permits determination of positions with an average of 15 m accuracy, whereby with the corresponding correctional calculations an accuracy of 1 m and less can be achieved. For the telemetric studies of wild animals GPS-receivers with special electronics are integrated into a collar and the determined positions recorded there. Several possibilites exist to retrieve this data: recollection of the collar and retrieval and transmission of data via radio, satellite, or mobile phone. The GPS-System at present enables the user to record ca. 8000 positions in a collar weighing 550 g. The lightest instruments weigh less than 100 g, however, they are only able to record a limited number of positions. In future GPS-collars will become smaller, lighter, and have a greater capacity. In the year 2007 a 500 g collar should be able to record 100000 positions. Collars lighter than 150 g with the option of recording several thousand positions will enable researchers to study middle sized wild animals. Special sensors will be developed that permit spectacular insights into the lives of animals. After the year 2008 a further satellite system. Galileo, permitting even exacter localizations, will become available to the user. |
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