Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research

• Main Authors: Hofman, M.P.G., Hayward, M. W., Heim, M., Marchand, P., Rolandsen, C.M., Mattisson, J., Balkenhol, N.
• Other Authors: DÜ, Orman Fakültesi, Yaban Hayatı Ekolojisi ve Yönetimi Bölümü
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library Science 2019
• Subjects: Arctic; Canada; Norway; Indian; New Zealand; Davidson; Morrison; Gonzalez; Pedersen; Conseil; Jenny; McCarthy; Dyer; Hayward; McMahon; Solberg; Veiberg
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12684/4430; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216223

Sergiel, Agnieszka/0000-0002-3455-4218; Hayward, Matt W./0000-0002-5574-1653; Reyna-Hurtado, Rafael/0000-0003-4382-642X; Linnell, John/0000-0002-8370-5633; Periquet, Stephanie/0000-0001-8901-3729; Thompson, Jeffrey J/0000-0002-5632-1466; May-Junior, Joares Adenilson/0000-0002-0007-9690; Nifong, James C/0000-0003-3607-0441; Armenteras, Dolors/0000-0003-0922-7298; Azevedo, Fernanda Cavalcanti/0000-0002-2424-6860; Lemos, Frederico G/0000-0002-3027-5713; Azevedo, Fernanda/0000-0002-2424-6860; Cagnacci, Francesca/0000-0002-4954-9980; Bonenfant, Christophe/0000-0002-9924-419X; Mattisson, Jenny/0000-0001-6032-5307; Heurich, Marco/0000-0003-0051-2930; Swanepoel, L H/0000-0002-9955-8076; Zufiaurre, Carlos Rouco/0000-0003-1026-3253; Gehr, Benedikt/0000-0002-1044-9296; Scheppers, Thomas/0000-0002-5098-9326; Sandfort, Robin/0000-0001-7452-5959; Cristescu, Bogdan/0000-0003-2964-5040; Zinner, Dietmar/0000-0003-3967-8014; Portas, Ruben/0000-0002-0686-0701; Parker, Daniel/0000-0001-7555-5674; Selva, Nuria/0000-0003-3389-201X; Kjellander, Petter/0000-0002-4272-6737; Oshima, Julia Emi de Faria/0000-0003-1545-768X; Ambarli, Huseyin/0000-0003-4336-9417; Richard-Hansen, Cecile/0000-0002-9353-791X; Casaer, Jim/0000-0001-6788-5876; Hofman, Maarten/0000-0002-5702-4359; Berger, Anne/0000-0001-5765-8039; Morellet, Nicolas/0000-0002-4274-7044; Gonzalez, Tania/0000-0002-9083-8637; Yarnell, Richard/0000-0001-6584-7374 WOS: 000467552100032 PubMed: 31071155 Satellite telemetry is an increasingly utilized technology in wildlife research, and current devices can track individual animal movements at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. However, as we enter the golden age of satellite telemetry, we need an in-depth understanding of the main technological, species-specific and environmental factors that determine the success and failure of satellite tracking devices across species and habitats. Here, we assess the relative influence of such factors on the ability of satellite telemetry units to provide the expected amount and quality of data by analyzing data from over 3,000 devices deployed on 62 terrestrial species in 167 projects worldwide. We evaluate the success rate in obtaining GPS fixes as well as in transferring these fixes to the user and we evaluate failure rates. Average fix success and data transfer rates were high and were generally better predicted by species and unit characteristics, while environmental characteristics influenced the variability of performance. However, 48% of the unit deployments ended prematurely, half of them due to technical failure. Nonetheless, this study shows that the performance of satellite telemetry applications has shown improvements over time, and based on our findings, we provide further recommendations for both users and manufacturers. Forest and Nature for Society (FONASO) Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate programme [2013-09]; University of Goettingen; Norwegian Environment Agency; Research Council of NorwayResearch Council of Norway [212919]; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; Messerli Foundation, WWF; Landcare Research Ltd New Zealand; TBfree New Zealand (AHB project) [R10737]; Norwegian Research Counsil, Smafefondet, NMBU; Research Council of NorwayResearch Council of Norway; Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg (Landesjagdabgabe); Wildlife Conservation Society; Swedish Environmental Protection Agency; private foundation "Marie Clair Cronstedts stiftelse"; NASA Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment [NNX15AV92A]; National Geographic Society Waitt Grant ProgramNational Geographic Society [W157-110]; FAPESPFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) [2013/50421-2, 2014/23132-2]; CNPqNational Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) [312045/2013-1, 312292/2016-3, 161089/2014-3]; Silicon Valley Community Foundation; The Overbrook Foundation; International ReSource Award; WCS Brasil; Vanderbilt University; PROCAD/CAPESCAPES [88881.068425/2014-01]; MLSJ Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo FapespFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) [2013/50421-2, 2014/23132-2]; Projeto Pecarideos - WCS Brasil; Howard G Buffett Foundation; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia -CONACYTConsejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACyT); Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) [814274, 834118]; Leobner Realgemeinschaft; Forstbetrieb Kletschach; WWF Nedbank Green Trust [GT 2251]; DFGGerman Research Foundation (DFG) [Fi707/9-1/DFG Zi548/6-1/DAAD (D/12/41834), FI707/9-1, ZI548/6-1]; DAADDeutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) [D/12/41834]; Nottingham Trent University; The Howard G. Buffett Foundation; ISRO-IISc Space Technology Cell; Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance and Space Technology Cell, Indian Institute of Science; Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection; Panthera Kaplan Graduate Award; Bank of America; Reindeer Development Fund in Norway; Rhodes University; Robin Hurt Wildlife Foundation; Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Wildlife Conservation Network; Humboldt State University; HSU Marine and Coastal Science Initiative; Humboldt State University Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Grant; Claude Leon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship; The Cape Leopard Trust; Conservation South Africa; South African National Parks; HERD project (Hwange Environmental Research Development) - Agence Nationale de la Recherche (FEAR project)French National Research Agency (ANR) [ANR-08-BLAN-0022]; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Programme Zones Ateliers); National Geographic SocietyNational Geographic Society [C151-08]; NSERC CGS DNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceUS Fish & Wildlife Service; Service public de Wallonie; Direction generale de l'Agriculture, des Ressources naturelles et de l'Environnement; U.S. Army Corps of EngineersUnited States Department of Defense; Parrotia-Stiftung; Stiftung Dr. Joachim de Giacomi; Basler Stiftung fur biologische Forschung; Messerli Stiftung; Carl Burger Stiftung; CIC Schweiz; CIC Deutschland; Paul Schiller Stiftung; Karl Mayer Stiftung; Consorcio Capim Branco de Energia; Ministere de l'Agriculture de l'Agroalimentaire et de la Foret; Conseil Regional de BourgogneRegion Bourgogne-Franche-Comte; Conseil General de la Cote d'OrRegion Bourgogne-Franche-Comte; Federation Departementale des Chasseurs de Cote d'Or; Groupement de Defense Sanitaire de Cote d'Or; Federation Nationale des Chasseurs; Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage; South African National Research FoundationNational Research Foundation - South Africa [107099]; Sao Paulo Research FoundationFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) [FAPESP 2013/04957-8, FAPESP 2013/18526-9]; MAVA Foundation, Switzerland; The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt DBU (German Federal Environmental Foundation); Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)Centre National D'etudes Spatiales; Project GLOBE - Polish-Norwegian Research Programme [POLNOR/198352/85/2013]; ASer: Norway Grants under the Polish-Norwegian Research Program [POL-NOR/198352/85/2013]; The People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES); Zoologische Gesellschaft fur Arten-und Populationsschutz (ZGAP); Iranian Cheetah Society; Quagga Conservation Fund; IdeaWild; Association Francaise des Parcs Zoologiques (AFdPZ); DEAL (Direction de l'Environnement de l'Amenagement et du Logement) de Guyane; CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales)Centre National D'etudes Spatiales; The Nedbank WWF Green Trust; The International Foundation for ScienceInternational Foundation for Science; Cape Leopard Trust; German Research FoundationGerman Research Foundation (DFG) [DFG: KA 1082/16-1]; The Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group (WRMRG); International Foundation for Science (IFS)International Foundation for Science; Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF); The Rufford Small Grants Foundation; Ernst AMP; Ethel Eriksen Trust; WWF Sweden; Leakey Foundation; National Geographic SocietyNational Geographic Society; WennerGren Foundation; Departamento Administrativo de Ciencia, Tecnologia e Innovacion Colciencias, Project "Efecto de la presencia de saladosnaturales en la distribucion y uso de habitat de la danta de tier-ras bajas (Tapirus terrestris) en las amazonas colombiano" [1101569-33286, 0385-2013]; Alexander von Humboldt FoundationAlexander von Humboldt Foundation; NSF Graduate Research FellowshipNational Science Foundation (NSF) [DEG-125608]; Sustainability East Asia LLC - SEA; Amarula Trust; National GeographicNational Geographic Society; Earthwatch Institute; World Wildlife Fund for Nature; Columbus Zoo; California North Coast Chapter of The Wildlife Society; Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation; Anses This work was supported by: Forest and Nature for Society (FONASO) Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctorate programme (CONTRACT NO. 2013-09) to MPGH, Publication costs were covered by the Open Access Publication Fund of the University of Goettingen; The Norwegian Environment Agency, the Research Council of Norway (project 212919), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research to JM; Messerli Foundation, WWF to JMel; CRou: The author was supported in the form of salary by a postdoctoral grant funded by Landcare Research Ltd New Zealand and data provided was funded by research project grant from TBfree New Zealand (AHB project number R10737). Norwegian Research Counsil, Smafefondet, NMBU to NHJ; The Research Council of Norway to GS; Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg (Landesjagdabgabe) to MK; Funding for the capture and collaring of khulan was received from Wildlife Conservation Society, administered through a cooperative agreement with Sustainability East Asia LLC - SEA and originating from Oy Du Tolgoi -OT gold and copper mining company to PK; Swedish fieldwork was supported by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and by the private foundation "Marie Clair Cronstedts stiftelse" to PKje; NASA Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (project #NNX15AV92A), National Geographic Society Waitt Grant Program (Grant #W157-110) to SL; Research Council of Norway to JDCL; FAPESP (2013/50421-2, 2014/23132-2), CNPq (312045/2013-1; 312292/2016-3; 161089/2014-3), Silicon Valley Community Foundation, The Overbrook Foundation, the International ReSource Award, WCS Brasil, and Vanderbilt University. PROCAD/CAPES (88881.068425/2014-01); MLSJ Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo Fapesp (process: 2013/50421-2 and scholarship: 2014/23132-2) and CNPQ (scholarship: 161089/2014-3), Projeto Pecarideos - WCS Brasil and Vanderbilt University for funding this research to JEFO.; Howard G Buffett Foundation, Amarula Trust to AS; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia -CONACYT with resources from the FEE to JJT; Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) grant numbers 814274 and 834118, Leobner Realgemeinschaft and Forstbetrieb Kletschach to RS; WWF Nedbank Green Trust (grant number GT 2251) to MD; DFG Fi707/9-1/DFG Zi548/6-1/DAAD (D/12/41834) to MKla; DFG FI707/9-1, DFG ZI548/6-1, DAAD D/12/41834 to DZ; GPS tags were funded by Nottingham Trent University, National Geographic, Earthwatch Institute, World Wildlife Fund for Nature, Columbus Zoo to RY; The Howard G. Buffett Foundation to AStr; ISRO-IISc Space Technology Cell to MT; Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance and Space Technology Cell, Indian Institute of Science to ATV; D.R.E. Am. Italia provided support in the form of salary for author SN, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific role of this author is articulated in the 'author contributions' section.; r RG was supported by funds of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection; Panthera Kaplan Graduate Award to AD; Bank of America to JAM; The Norwegian Environment Agency, the Research Council of Norway (Project 212919), the Reindeer Development Fund in Norway, and several County administrations around Norway to JO; Rhodes University to DMP; Robin Hurt Wildlife Foundation, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute to AC; Wildlife Conservation Network, Panthera to CT; Humboldt State University, HSU Marine and Coastal Science Initiative, California North Coast Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation to CLA; Humboldt State University Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Grant to IA; Humboldt State University Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Grant to WTB; Claude Leon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, The Cape Leopard Trust, Conservation South Africa, South African National Parks to BC; GPS collars were funded by the HERD project (Hwange Environmental Research Development), funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (FEAR project ANR-08-BLAN-0022), and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Programme Zones Ateliers). Some collars were funded by the National Geographic Society GRANT #C151-08 to SP; NSERC CGS D to KJT; SK: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to SK; Service public de Wallonie. Direction generale de l'Agriculture, des Ressources naturelles et de l'Environnement to AL; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to KB; Parrotia-Stiftung, Stiftung Dr. Joachim de Giacomi, Basler Stiftung fur biologische Forschung, Messerli Stiftung, Carl Burger Stiftung, CIC Schweiz, CIC Deutschland, Paul Schiller Stiftung and Karl Mayer Stiftung to SCS; Consorcio Capim Branco de Energia to FCA; Consorcio Capim Branco de Energia to FGL; Ministere de l'Agriculture de l'Agroalimentaire et de la Foret, the Conseil Regional de Bourgogne, the Conseil General de la Cote d'Or, the Federation Departementale des Chasseurs de Cote d'Or, the Groupement de Defense Sanitaire de Cote d'Or, the Federation Nationale des Chasseurs and the Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage to AP.; r South African National Research Foundation (Grant number: 107099) to LHS; Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP 2013/04957-8 and FAPESP 2013/18526-9) to ABer; MAVA Foundation, Switzerland; The Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt DBU (German Federal Environmental Foundation) to DM; Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) to CRic; Anses to ER; Project GLOBE (POLNOR/198352/85/2013) funded by the Polish-Norwegian Research Programme operated by the National Centre for Research and Development; ASer: Norway Grants under the Polish-Norwegian Research Program operated by the National Centre for Research and Development (GLOBE, POL-NOR/198352/85/2013) to NS; The People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), Zoologische Gesellschaft fur Arten-und Populationsschutz (ZGAP), Iranian Cheetah Society, Quagga Conservation Fund, IdeaWild, Panthera and Association Francaise des Parcs Zoologiques (AFdPZ) to MSF; DEAL (Direction de l'Environnement de l'Amenagement et du Logement) de Guyane, CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) to RBer; The Nedbank WWF Green Trust, The International Foundation for Science, the Cape Leopard Trust, Rhodes University to GKM; German Research Foundation (DFG: KA 1082/16-1) to LP; The Wildlife and Reserve Management Research Group (WRMRG), International Foundation for Science (IFS), Safari Club International Foundation (SCIF), The Rufford Small Grants Foundation, Ernst & Ethel Eriksen Trust to TG; WWF Sweden to RSte; Leakey Foundation, National Geographic Society, WennerGren Foundation to LS; Departamento Administrativo de Ciencia, Tecnologia e Innovacion Colciencias, Project "Efecto de la presencia de saladosnaturales en la distribucion y uso de habitat de la danta de tier-ras bajas (Tapirus terrestris) en las amazonas colombiano" (grantnumber 1101569-33286, contract: 0385-2013) to DA; PostDoctoral Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to ORB; NSF Graduate Research Fellowship DEG-125608 to SKac. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.r We thank Horst Reinecke and Christian Trothe for database management and data entry, and James Gibbons, Matthias Schmid and Benjamin Hofner for their enlightening explanations on the statistics. We thank Stan Tomkiewicz for insightful discussion on GPS collar functioning, and the Eurodeer. org network, Sarah Davidson of Movebank. org, and Stephanie O'Donnell of WILDLABS. NET for helping to spread the word about this study. We also thank Jonah Gula, Olav Strand, Ole Roer, Liu Yanlin, Bernt-Erik Saether, Anders Borstad, Laura McMahon, Thomas Morrison, Maurizio Ramanzin, Vebjorn Veiberg, Erling Johan Solberg, Leif Soennichsen, Hans Christian Pedersen, Tom McCarthy, Jacqueline L. Frair, Siobhan Dyer, Morten Odden, Lars Haugaard, and Peter G. Crawshaw, Jr. for their data contributions. The publication was supported by the Open Access Publication Fund of the University of Goettingen.