Animal Tracking

First use of Radar tracking

1939

During WW2 the military noticed that flocks of birds were being picked up on their radar scanners. Since then Radar has been vital for tracking migrating bird species

First Radio tracking of Animal

1950

In the 1950s the first studies featuring radio tracking t monitor wildlife begin too apere.

First proposed use of satellites to track animals

1962

Wain Warner and William Cochran propose using satellites to track albatrose

First NZ animal with Radio Transmitter

1968

The first animal was a possum who was fitted with a radio tracking devise, which was about the size of a pen-light and weighed 80 grams, quite the load for a possum. The possum was released in the Orongrongo valley near Wellington.

First animal with satellite tracking devise

1970

Monique the space elk was equipped with a satellite collar by John and Frank Craighead

Argos Satellite creation

1978

The Argos satellite was originally launched to monitor weather patterns, but nowadays it is more commonly used for animal tracking

Argos Satellite used to track Polar Bears

1979

The first time the Argos satellite was used to track animals was in 1979 where it was used to track polar bears using collars.

Creation of PIT tags

1980

These tags unlike satellite and radio tracking methods arn't always active. These tags act as a barcode and react to a certain frequency, gives the scientist a unique number which they can use too identify the animal. This has been used on several species of fish, invertebrate and amphibiens.

First satellite Tracking of a fish

1982

In 1982 scientists first created a satellite tracker for a fish, in this case the tracker was rather large and bulky so tehy selected a large basking shark to be the critical creature.

Early data analisis Software creation

1985

In 1985 Dr. Michael Stüwe a scientist at the Smithsonian, was an early creator of software capable of analyzing the data brought forth by the radio and satellite tracking technology

First Study on arthropod molting

1987

In 1987 Smithsonian scientists conducted the first study on arthropod molting. Which is basically just when crabs molt. They did this using Ultra sonic telemetry.

First Bird tracked with Satalites

1989

In 1989 the albatross was the first bird to be tracked using satellites. This information revolutionized the way people thought about migratory birds and the lengths they would go too feed there young. Since this study there have been hundreds of similar migratory studies.

Creation of PSAT tags

1990

in the 90s pop-up satellite archival tags were created, these tags were implanted into marine animals to track there, movements, mating and feeding patterns.

First use of heart moniters on animals

2017

In 2017 the Smithsonian partnered with a medical company to see how different environmental stresses effect different animals, they are currently testing it on Maned wolves.

Harmonic radar tags for insects

2021

In 2021 Dr Graeme Woodward University of Canterbury researcher worked with forest entomologist Dr Steve Pawson to create a new type of radio tracking that could be used for insects. This tracking was revolutionary and is much better for teh insects themselves