Recent innovations by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) suggest that mobile devices could soon revolutionize wildlife tracking for ecological and conservation purposes.

Traditional methods of tracking wildlife have been expensive and limited by the need for close proximity between the tracking devices and the tagged animals. However, a new development by ANU scientists has introduced an affordable and compact Bluetooth beacon that can seamlessly integrate with the widespread network of mobile phones and smartwatches, offering regular updates on animal movements.

Associate Professor Damien Farine, the study’s lead researcher from ANU, emphasizes the advantages of this technology. “We utilize the ubiquitous nature of personal mobile devices to facilitate wildlife tracking through Bluetooth beacons. Our trials have proven successful in monitoring the movements, territorial extents, and social behaviors of animals in urban settings,” he states.

This method addresses previous challenges like high costs and the limited range of traditional tags. “The mechanism is straightforward—whenever a mobile phone comes into proximity with a tagged animal, it picks up the Bluetooth signal and automatically transfers the data to a cloud system. This setup ensures that no personal data from the phone is collected,” explains Farine.

These insights could significantly advance our understanding of how wildlife interacts with and adapts to urban environments.

The research team notes that these Bluetooth beacons are not only economical and lightweight but also boast a battery lifespan of one to two years, all without the need for additional costs related to data downloads.

“This breakthrough in tagging technology marks a major leap forward in our ability to study animal behavior in urban ecosystems in a non-invasive and sustainable manner,” concludes Farine. These tags hold the potential to transform urban ecological studies, paving the way for novel conservation strategies and enriching our understanding of urban biodiversity.