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A Critique of Wildlife Radio-tracking
and its Use in National Parks

A Report to the U.S. National Park Service

February 6, 2002

L. David Mech and Shannon M. Barber

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This resource is based on the following source (Northern Prairie Publication 1164):

Mech, L. David, and Shannon M. Barber.  2002.  A critique of wildlife 
     radio-tracking and its use in national parks: a report to the 
     U.S. National Park Service.  U.S. Geological Survey, Northern 
     Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, N.D. 78 p.

This resource should be cited as:

Mech, L. David, and Shannon M. Barber.  2002.  A critique of wildlife 
     radio-tracking and its use in national parks: a report to the 
     U.S. National Park Service.  U.S. Geological Survey, Northern 
     Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, N.D.  Jamestown, 
     ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.  
     http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/wildlife/radiotrk/index.htm 
     (Version 30DEC2002).

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Table of Contents

• Acknowledgments
• Summary
• Introduction
• Research in National Parks
• Wildlife Radio Tracking
  • The Present Review
  • Overview of the Radio-tracking Technique
  • Recent Refinements in Radio-tracking
  • Potential Substitutes for Radio Tracking
  • Improvements Needed in Radio-tracking Systems
  • Prospects for Improvements to Reduce Intrusiveness of Radio-tracking
• Details of Radio-tracking Technology
  • Conventional VHF Radio-tracking
    • Transmitting Systems
      • Transmitters
      • Transmitting Frequency
      • Power Supply
      • Transmitter Protection
      • Transmitting Antennas
      • Transmitter Attachment Methods
      • Radio-Tagging Mammals
      • Radio-Tagging Birds
      • Radio-Tagging Other Animals
      • Other Uses of Transmitters in Wildlife Research
    • Receiving Systems
      • Receivers
      • Receiving Antennas
      • Mounting Antennas
      • Recorders, Counters, And Decoders
    • Tracking Methods
      • Homing
      • Triangulating
      • Automatic Tracking
  • Satellite Tracking
    • Wildlife Research Using Satellite Telemetry
    • Advantages And Disadvantages of Satellite Telemetry
    • Cost of Satellite Telemetry Systems
    • Satellite Telemetry Refinements
  • Global Location Sensing
  • Global Positioning System (GPS) Telemetry
    • The GPS System
      • Wildlife Research Using GPS Tracking
    • Data Retrieval for GPS Tracking
      • GPS Data Stored on Board
      • GPS Data Downloaded To A Portable Receiver
      • GPS Data Relayed by Satellite
      • Advantages and Disadvantages of GPS Tracking
      • Wildlife Research Using GPS Tracking
      • Cost of GPS Telemetry Systems
    • Determining Which Telemetry System To Use
      • Studies for VHF Telemetry
      • Studies for Satellite Telemetry
      • Studies for GPS Telemetry
    • Effects of Radio-tagging and Radio-tracking
      • Effects on Birds
      • Effects on Small Mammals
      • Effects on Large Mammals
      • Effects of Implanted Transmitters
• Software Useful for Managing and Analyzing Radio-tracking Data
• Technological Advances Minimizing Impacts to Animals
• Minimizing Conflict Over Wildlife Radio-Tracking In National Parks
  • Assessing the Problem
  • Educating Visitors
  • Use of Refinements
  • Funding of Refinements
• Conclusion
• Literature Cited
• Appendix A -- Radio Telemetry Equipment Suppliers
• Appendix B -- General Websites Offering Wildlife Software Packages and Links
• Appendix C -- Scientific Names
• Appendix D -- Comparative characteristics of VHF, satellite, and GPS collar telemetry

Download the entire resource in PDF format (recommended for best printable version of this resource)

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L. David Mech, Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, 8711-37th St., SE, Jamestown, ND 58401-7317; Mailing address: The Raptor Center, 1920 Fitch Ave., University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
Shannon M. Barber, Dept. of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 1980 Folwell Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108

* Mention of commercial manufacturers is made for convenience only. It does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Government.

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