Simultaneous Collection of Body Temperature and Activity Data in Burrowing Mammals: a New Technique

• Published in: The Journal of Wildlife Management
• Main Authors: LONG, RYAN A., HUT, ROELOF A., BARNES, BRIAN M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2007
• Subjects: Arctic; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/2006-399; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.2193%2F2006-399

Abstract: Integrating physiological and behavioral observations into ecological field studies of animals can provide novel insights into relationships among animal behavior, physiology, and ecology. We describe and evaluate a new technique for simultaneously collecting body temperature ( T b ) and burrow use data for semi‐fossorial mammals by combining light‐sensitive radiotransmitters and implanted temperature‐sensitive dataloggers. We used this approach to collect core T b and activity data for 9 free‐ranging arctic ground squirrels ( Spermophilus parryii ) in northern Alaska, USA, at approximately 5‐minute intervals for 30–90 days each to address questions related to thermoregulation, energetics, foraging, sociality, and timing of activity in natural environments.