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

M. P.G. Hofman; M. W. Hayward; M. Heim; P. Marchand; C. M. Rolandsen; J. Mattisson; F. Urbano; M. Heurich; A. Mysterud; J. Melzheimer; N. Morellet; U. Voigt; B. L. Allen; B. Gehr; C. Rouco; W. Ullmann; Holand; N. H. Jørgensen; G. Steinheim; F. Cagnacci; M. Kroeschel; P. Kaczensky; B. Buuveibaatar; J. C. Payne; I. Palmegiani; K. Jerina; P. Kjellander; Johansson; S. LaPoint; R. Bayrakcismith; J. D.C. Linnell; M. Zaccaroni; M. L.S. Jorge; J. E.F. Oshima; A. Songhurst; C. Fischer; R. T. Mc Bride; J. J. Thompson; S. Streif; R. Sandfort; C. Bonenfant; M. Drouilly; M. Klapproth; D. Zinner; R. Yarnell; A. Stronza; L. Wilmott; E. Meisingset; M. Thaker; A. T. Vanak; S. Nicoloso; R. Graeber; S. Said; M. R. Boudreau; A. Devlin; R. Hoogesteijn; J. A. May-Junior; J. C. Nifong; J. Odden; H. B. Quigley; F. Tortato; D. M. Parker; A. Caso; J. Perrine; C. Tellaeche; F. Zieba; T. Zwijacz-Kozica; C. L. Appel; I. Axsom; W. T. Bean; B. Cristescu; S. Périquet; K. J. Teichman; S. Karpanty; A. Licoppe; V. Menges; K. Black; T. L. Scheppers; S. C. Schai-Braun; F. C. Azevedo; F. G. Lemos; A. Payne; L. H. Swanepoel; B. V. Weckworth; A. Berger; A. Bertassoni; G. McCulloch; P. Šustr; V. Athreya; D. Bockmuhl; J. Casaer; A. Ekori; D. Melovski; C. Richard-Hansen; D. Van De Vyver; R. Reyna-Hurtado; E. Robardet; N. Selva; A. Sergiel; M. S. Farhadinia; P. Sunde; R. Portas; H. Ambarli; R. Berzins; P. M. Kappeler; G. K. Mann; L. Pyritz; C. Bissett; T. Grant; R. Steinmetz; L. Swedell; R. J. Welch; D. Armenteras; O. R. Bidder; T. M. González; A. Rosenblatt; S. Kachel; N. Balkenhol

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0216223

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

M. P.G. Hofman
, M. W. Hayward
, M. Heim
, P. Marchand
, C. M. Rolandsen
, J. Mattisson
, F. Urbano
, M. Heurich
, A. Mysterud
, J. Melzheimer
, N. Morellet
, U. Voigt
, B. L. Allen
, B. Gehr
, C. Rouco
, W. Ullmann
, Holand
, N. H. Jørgensen
, G. Steinheim
, F. Cagnacci

M. Kroeschel, P. Kaczensky, B. Buuveibaatar, J. C. Payne, I. Palmegiani, K. Jerina, P. Kjellander, Johansson, S. LaPoint, R. Bayrakcismith, J. D.C. Linnell, M. Zaccaroni, M. L.S. Jorge, J. E.F. Oshima, A. Songhurst, C. Fischer, R. T. Mc Bride, J. J. Thompson, S. Streif, R. Sandfort, C. Bonenfant, M. Drouilly, M. Klapproth, D. Zinner, R. Yarnell, A. Stronza, L. Wilmott, E. Meisingset, M. Thaker, A. T. Vanak, S. Nicoloso, R. Graeber, S. Said, M. R. Boudreau, A. Devlin, R. Hoogesteijn, J. A. May-Junior, J. C. Nifong, J. Odden, H. B. Quigley, F. Tortato, D. M. Parker, A. Caso, J. Perrine, C. Tellaeche, F. Zieba, T. Zwijacz-Kozica, C. L. Appel, I. Axsom, W. T. Bean, B. Cristescu, S. Périquet, K. J. Teichman, S. Karpanty, A. Licoppe, V. Menges, K. Black, T. L. Scheppers, S. C. Schai-Braun, F. C. Azevedo, F. G. Lemos, A. Payne, L. H. Swanepoel, B. V. Weckworth, A. Berger, A. Bertassoni, G. McCulloch, P. Šustr, V. Athreya, D. Bockmuhl, J. Casaer, A. Ekori, D. Melovski, C. Richard-Hansen, D. Van De Vyver, R. Reyna-Hurtado, E. Robardet, N. Selva, A. Sergiel, M. S. Farhadinia, P. Sunde, R. Portas, H. Ambarli, R. Berzins, P. M. Kappeler, G. K. Mann, L. Pyritz, C. Bissett, T. Grant, R. Steinmetz, L. Swedell, R. J. Welch, D. Armenteras, O. R. Bidder, T. M. González, A. Rosenblatt, S. Kachel, N. Balkenhol

University of Göttingen
Bangor University
Nelson Mandela University
University of Newcastle
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Office national de la chasse et de la faune sauvage
Université Savoie Mont Blanc
University of Freiburg
Bavarian Forest National Park
University of Oslo
Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) im Forschungsverbund Berlin E.V.
University Paul Sabatier
University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation
University of Southern Queensland
University of Zurich
CNRS
Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research
University of Córdoba
University of Potsdam
Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research
Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Fondazione Edmund Mach
Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wuerttemberg
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
Wildlife Conservation Society
University of Ljubljana
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Snow Leopard Trust
Department of Migration and Immuno-ecology
Columbia University
Black Rock Forest
Panthera USA
University of Florence
Vanderbilt University
Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho
Ecoexist Project
University of Oxford
Texas A and M University
D’Ingenierie et d’Architecture de Geneve
Faro Maro Ecoresearch
Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología - Paraguay
Instituto Saite
Ronin Institute
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1
University of Cape Town
German Primate Center – Leibniz Institute for Primate Research
Nottingham Trent University
NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research
Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment
Wellcome Trust
University of KwaZulu-Natal
D.R.E.Am. Italia
Trent University
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
Associação Onçafari
United States Army Engineer Research and Development Center
Rhodes University
University of Mpumalanga
Ministery of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico
Alianza Nacional Para la Conservacion del Jaguar A.C.
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Universidad Nacional de Jujuy
Tatra National Park
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt
Sequoia Riverlands Trust
Cape Leopard Trust
Ongava Research Centre
University of British Columbia
Virginia Tech
Service Public de Wallonie
Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research
Universidade Federal de Goiás
Programa de Conservação Mamíferos do Cerrado (PCMC)
University of Venda
Instituto de Pesquisa e Conservação de Tamanduás no Brasil
Czech Academy of Sciences
Wildlife Conservation Society
University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland
Macedonian Ecological Society
Université des Antilles
El Colegio de la Frontera Sur
ANSES Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife
Institute of Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Aarhus University
Duzce University Medical School
South African National Parks
WWF International
City University of New York
Universidad Nacional de Colombia
University of California at Berkeley
University of North Florida
University of Washington

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

69 Scopus citations

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Article number	e0216223
Journal	PLoS ONE
Volume	14
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216223
State	Published - May 2019
Externally published	Yes

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10.1371/journal.pone.0216223

Cite this

Hofman, M. P. G., Hayward, M. W., Heim, M., Marchand, P., Rolandsen, C. M., Mattisson, J., Urbano, F., Heurich, M., Mysterud, A., Melzheimer, J., Morellet, N., Voigt, U., Allen, B. L., Gehr, B., Rouco, C., Ullmann, W., Holand, Jørgensen, N. H., Steinheim, G., ... Balkenhol, N. (2019). Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research. PLoS ONE, 14(5), Article e0216223. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216223

@article{e4e88c29511f4b9cb60ee3a3fc8a4d68,

title = "Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research",

abstract = "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.",

author = "Hofman, \{M. P.G.\} and Hayward, \{M. W.\} and M. Heim and P. Marchand and Rolandsen, \{C. M.\} and J. Mattisson and F. Urbano and M. Heurich and A. Mysterud and J. Melzheimer and N. Morellet and U. Voigt and Allen, \{B. L.\} and B. Gehr and C. Rouco and W. Ullmann and Holand and J{\o}rgensen, \{N. H.\} and G. Steinheim and F. Cagnacci and M. Kroeschel and P. Kaczensky and B. Buuveibaatar and Payne, \{J. C.\} and I. Palmegiani and K. Jerina and P. Kjellander and Johansson and S. LaPoint and R. Bayrakcismith and Linnell, \{J. D.C.\} and M. Zaccaroni and Jorge, \{M. L.S.\} and Oshima, \{J. E.F.\} and A. Songhurst and C. Fischer and \{Mc Bride\}, \{R. T.\} and Thompson, \{J. J.\} and S. Streif and R. Sandfort and C. Bonenfant and M. Drouilly and M. Klapproth and D. Zinner and R. Yarnell and A. Stronza and L. Wilmott and E. Meisingset and M. Thaker and Vanak, \{A. T.\} and S. Nicoloso and R. Graeber and S. Said and Boudreau, \{M. R.\} and A. Devlin and R. Hoogesteijn and May-Junior, \{J. A.\} and Nifong, \{J. C.\} and J. Odden and Quigley, \{H. B.\} and F. Tortato and Parker, \{D. M.\} and A. Caso and J. Perrine and C. Tellaeche and F. Zieba and T. Zwijacz-Kozica and Appel, \{C. L.\} and I. Axsom and Bean, \{W. T.\} and B. Cristescu and S. P{\'e}riquet and Teichman, \{K. J.\} and S. Karpanty and A. Licoppe and V. Menges and K. Black and Scheppers, \{T. L.\} and Schai-Braun, \{S. C.\} and Azevedo, \{F. C.\} and Lemos, \{F. G.\} and A. Payne and Swanepoel, \{L. H.\} and Weckworth, \{B. V.\} and A. Berger and A. Bertassoni and G. McCulloch and P. {\v S}ustr and V. Athreya and D. Bockmuhl and J. Casaer and A. Ekori and D. Melovski and C. Richard-Hansen and \{Van De Vyver\}, D. and R. Reyna-Hurtado and E. Robardet and N. Selva and A. Sergiel and Farhadinia, \{M. S.\} and P. Sunde and R. Portas and H. Ambarli and R. Berzins and Kappeler, \{P. M.\} and Mann, \{G. K.\} and L. Pyritz and C. Bissett and T. Grant and R. Steinmetz and L. Swedell and Welch, \{R. J.\} and D. Armenteras and Bidder, \{O. R.\} and Gonz{\'a}lez, \{T. M.\} and A. Rosenblatt and S. Kachel and N. Balkenhol",

year = "2019",

month = may,

doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0216223",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

journal = "PLoS ONE",

issn = "1932-6203",

publisher = "Public Library of Science",

number = "5",

}

Hofman, MPG, Hayward, MW, Heim, M, Marchand, P, Rolandsen, CM, Mattisson, J, Urbano, F, Heurich, M, Mysterud, A, Melzheimer, J, Morellet, N, Voigt, U, Allen, BL, Gehr, B, Rouco, C, Ullmann, W, Holand, Jørgensen, NH, Steinheim, G, Cagnacci, F, Kroeschel, M, Kaczensky, P, Buuveibaatar, B, Payne, JC, Palmegiani, I, Jerina, K, Kjellander, P, Johansson, LaPoint, S, Bayrakcismith, R, Linnell, JDC, Zaccaroni, M, Jorge, MLS, Oshima, JEF, Songhurst, A, Fischer, C, Mc Bride, RT, Thompson, JJ, Streif, S, Sandfort, R, Bonenfant, C, Drouilly, M, Klapproth, M, Zinner, D, Yarnell, R, Stronza, A, Wilmott, L, Meisingset, E, Thaker, M, Vanak, AT, Nicoloso, S, Graeber, R, Said, S, Boudreau, MR, Devlin, A, Hoogesteijn, R, May-Junior, JA, Nifong, JC, Odden, J, Quigley, HB, Tortato, F, Parker, DM, Caso, A, Perrine, J, Tellaeche, C, Zieba, F, Zwijacz-Kozica, T, Appel, CL, Axsom, I, Bean, WT, Cristescu, B, Périquet, S, Teichman, KJ, Karpanty, S, Licoppe, A, Menges, V, Black, K, Scheppers, TL, Schai-Braun, SC, Azevedo, FC, Lemos, FG, Payne, A, Swanepoel, LH, Weckworth, BV, Berger, A, Bertassoni, A, McCulloch, G, Šustr, P, Athreya, V, Bockmuhl, D, Casaer, J, Ekori, A, Melovski, D, Richard-Hansen, C, Van De Vyver, D, Reyna-Hurtado, R, Robardet, E, Selva, N, Sergiel, A, Farhadinia, MS, Sunde, P, Portas, R, Ambarli, H, Berzins, R, Kappeler, PM, Mann, GK, Pyritz, L, Bissett, C, Grant, T, Steinmetz, R, Swedell, L, Welch, RJ, Armenteras, D, Bidder, OR, González, TM, Rosenblatt, A, Kachel, S & Balkenhol, N 2019, 'Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research', PLoS ONE, vol. 14, no. 5, e0216223. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216223

TY - JOUR

T1 - Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research

AU - Hofman, M. P.G.

AU - Hayward, M. W.

AU - Heim, M.

AU - Marchand, P.

AU - Rolandsen, C. M.

AU - Mattisson, J.

AU - Urbano, F.

AU - Heurich, M.

AU - Mysterud, A.

AU - Melzheimer, J.

AU - Morellet, N.

AU - Voigt, U.

AU - Allen, B. L.

AU - Gehr, B.

AU - Rouco, C.

AU - Ullmann, W.

AU - Holand,

AU - Jørgensen, N. H.

AU - Steinheim, G.

AU - Cagnacci, F.

AU - Kroeschel, M.

AU - Kaczensky, P.

AU - Buuveibaatar, B.

AU - Payne, J. C.

AU - Palmegiani, I.

AU - Jerina, K.

AU - Kjellander, P.

AU - Johansson,

AU - LaPoint, S.

AU - Bayrakcismith, R.

AU - Linnell, J. D.C.

AU - Zaccaroni, M.

AU - Jorge, M. L.S.

AU - Oshima, J. E.F.

AU - Songhurst, A.

AU - Fischer, C.

AU - Mc Bride, R. T.

AU - Thompson, J. J.

AU - Streif, S.

AU - Sandfort, R.

AU - Bonenfant, C.

AU - Drouilly, M.

AU - Klapproth, M.

AU - Zinner, D.

AU - Yarnell, R.

AU - Stronza, A.

AU - Wilmott, L.

AU - Meisingset, E.

AU - Thaker, M.

AU - Vanak, A. T.

AU - Nicoloso, S.

AU - Graeber, R.

AU - Said, S.

AU - Boudreau, M. R.

AU - Devlin, A.

AU - Hoogesteijn, R.

AU - May-Junior, J. A.

AU - Nifong, J. C.

AU - Odden, J.

AU - Quigley, H. B.

AU - Tortato, F.

AU - Parker, D. M.

AU - Caso, A.

AU - Perrine, J.

AU - Tellaeche, C.

AU - Zieba, F.

AU - Zwijacz-Kozica, T.

AU - Appel, C. L.

AU - Axsom, I.

AU - Bean, W. T.

AU - Cristescu, B.

AU - Périquet, S.

AU - Teichman, K. J.

AU - Karpanty, S.

AU - Licoppe, A.

AU - Menges, V.

AU - Black, K.

AU - Scheppers, T. L.

AU - Schai-Braun, S. C.

AU - Azevedo, F. C.

AU - Lemos, F. G.

AU - Payne, A.

AU - Swanepoel, L. H.

AU - Weckworth, B. V.

AU - Berger, A.

AU - Bertassoni, A.

AU - McCulloch, G.

AU - Šustr, P.

AU - Athreya, V.

AU - Bockmuhl, D.

AU - Casaer, J.

AU - Ekori, A.

AU - Melovski, D.

AU - Richard-Hansen, C.

AU - Van De Vyver, D.

AU - Reyna-Hurtado, R.

AU - Robardet, E.

AU - Selva, N.

AU - Sergiel, A.

AU - Farhadinia, M. S.

AU - Sunde, P.

AU - Portas, R.

AU - Ambarli, H.

AU - Berzins, R.

AU - Kappeler, P. M.

AU - Mann, G. K.

AU - Pyritz, L.

AU - Bissett, C.

AU - Grant, T.

AU - Steinmetz, R.

AU - Swedell, L.

AU - Welch, R. J.

AU - Armenteras, D.

AU - Bidder, O. R.

AU - González, T. M.

AU - Rosenblatt, A.

AU - Kachel, S.

AU - Balkenhol, N.

PY - 2019/5

Y1 - 2019/5

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85065776831

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0216223

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0216223

M3 - Article

C2 - 31071155

AN - SCOPUS:85065776831

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 14

JO - PLoS ONE

JF - PLoS ONE

IS - 5

M1 - e0216223

ER -

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

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