The success of GPS collar deployments on mammals in Australia (original) (raw)

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Research Article| 04 February 2013

The success of GPS collar deployments on mammals in Australia_Available to Purchase_

Alison Matthews,

AInstitute for Land, Water and Society, School of Environmental Sciences, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia.

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Laura Ruykys,

BUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.

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Bill Ellis,

CUniversity of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

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Sean FitzGibbon,

CUniversity of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

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Daniel Lunney,

DBiodiversity Conservation Science Section, Scientific Services, Office of Environment and Heritage, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Hurstville, NSW 2220, Australia.

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Mathew S. Crowther,

ESchool of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

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Alistair S. Glen,

FWA Department of Environment and Conservation, and Invasive Animals CRC, Dwellingup, WA 6213, Australia.

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Brad Purcell,

GUniversity of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.

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Katherine Moseby,

BUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.

HArid Recovery, Roxby Downs, SA 5725, Australia.

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Jenny Stott,

HArid Recovery, Roxby Downs, SA 5725, Australia.

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Don Fletcher,

IACT Land Management and Planning, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

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Claire Wimpenny,

IACT Land Management and Planning, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

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Benjamin L. Allen,

JUniversity of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.

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Linda Van Bommel,

KUniversity of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

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Michael Roberts,

LMacquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.

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Nicole Davies,

CUniversity of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

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Ken Green,

MNational Parks and Wildlife Service, Jindabyne, NSW 2627, Australia.

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Thomas Newsome,

ESchool of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

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Guy Ballard,

NVertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.

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Peter Fleming,

OVertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.

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Christopher R. Dickman,

ESchool of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

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Achim Eberhart,

PUniversity of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.

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Shannon Troy,

QUniversity of Tasmania, School of Zoology, and CRC Forestry, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

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Clive McMahon,

RCharles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.

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Natasha Wiggins

KUniversity of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

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Publisher: CSIRO Publishing

Received: 01 May 2012

Accepted: 04 July 2012

Online ISSN: 1836-7402

Print ISSN: 0310-0049

© 2013 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of Australian Mammal Society.

2013

The Author(s) (or their employer(s)).

Aust Mammalogy (2013) 35 (1): 65–83.

Citation

Matthews A, Ruykys L, Ellis B, FitzGibbon S, Lunney D, Crowther MS, Glen AS, Purcell B, Moseby K, Stott J, Fletcher D, Wimpenny C, Allen BL, Van Bommel L, Roberts M, Davies N, Green K, Newsome T, Ballard G, Fleming P, Dickman CR, Eberhart A, Troy S, McMahon C, Wiggins N. (2013) The success of GPS collar deployments on mammals in Australia. _Australian Mammalogy 35, 65–83. https://doi.org/10.1071/AM12021

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Global Positioning System (GPS) wildlife telemetry collars are being used increasingly to understand the movement patterns of wild mammals. However, there are few published studies on which to gauge their general utility and success. This paper highlights issues faced by some of the first researchers to use GPS technology for terrestrial mammal tracking in Australia. Our collated data cover 24 studies where GPS collars were used in 280 deployments on 13 species, including dingoes or other wild dogs (Canis lupus dingo and hybrids), cats (Felis catus), foxes (Vulpes vulpes), kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), livestock guardian dogs (C. l. familiaris), pademelons (Thylogale billardierii), possums (Trichosurus cunninghami), quolls (Dasyurus geoffroii and D. maculatus), wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus and Petrogale lateralis), and wombats (Vombatus ursinus). Common problems encountered were associated with collar design, the GPS, VHF and timed-release components, and unforseen costs in retrieving and refurbishing collars. We discuss the implications of collar failures for research programs and animal welfare, and suggest how these could be avoided or improved. Our intention is to provide constructive advice so that researchers and manufacturers can make informed decisions about using this technology, and maximise the many benefits of GPS while reducing the risks.

© 2013 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of Australian Mammal Society.

2013

The Author(s) (or their employer(s)).

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