Life Sciences Commons^™

The Gps Craze: Six Questions To Address Before Deciding To Deploy Gps Technology On Wildlife, A. David M. Latham, M. Cecilia Latham, Dean P. Anderson, Jen Cruz, Dan Herries, Mark Hebblewhite

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

GPS and satellite technology for studies on wildlife have improved substantially over the past decade. It is now possible to collect fine-scale location data from migratory animals, animals that have previously been too small to deploy GPS devices on, and other difficult-to-study species. Often researchers and managers have formatted well-defined ecological or conservation questions prior to deploying GPS on animals, whereas other times it is arguably done simply because the technology is now available to do so. We review and discuss six important interrelated questions that should be addressed when planning a study requiring location data. Answers will clarify whether …