Wildlife Management with GPS

There seems to be no end to what GPS technology can do. Not only can it get drivers from one destination to another, but it can also help meteorologists predict earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, athletes train more efficiently, and authorities keep track of parolees. Now, conservationists are using the amazing real-time information from global positioning systems to manage wildlife. From plants and trees to birds and animals, scientists are discovering new things about nature that will help them protect and preserve it.

What GPS Does for Wildlife Management

Over the years, urban areas have spilled over into the habitats of countless creatures of nature. Often, the animals just retreat further into their habitats to avoid humans, but sometimes they venture forth into people’s backyards or onto roads. When these encounters take place, it can be dangerous to animals and humans alike. That is why wildlife management is so important, and that is where GPS technology helps. Using GPS-enabled devices, be it a collar, a harness, direct attachment, or implant, researchers can learn much about animal behavior to help them better manage habitats as well as urban development.

• Animal population: Knowing how large herds or flocks are helps researchers determine the sustainability of a habitat. Is there enough food in the area? Is there enough space for reproduction? Will animals be forced out of their natural environment?


• Migratory patterns: Again, it is important to know how and where animals move in order to minimize run-ins with people. Some species have traversed the same routes throughout their existence, and if that pattern is interrupted by a road or subdivision, it could be detrimental.


• Foraging behavior: Where animals and humans often conflict is over food. Animals are always foraging for food, and when they find a consistent source of food, such as trashcans or vegetable gardens, they tend to stay close by. And if habitats are infringed upon, normal foraging sites could be eliminated, forcing animals into the open.

All this information and more can be obtained through GPS transmitters and receivers for the benefit of nature and society. It’s not just about a specific location but an overall behavioral pattern that scientists hope to discover.

A Very Real Example of GPS Wildlife Management

A doctoral student from North Carolina State University has teamed up with the North Carolina Wildlife Commission to study the recent influx of black bears into the city of Asheville. Several sightings and encounters led researcher Rick Gould to select Asheville as the site of his study. By monitoring the behavioral patterns of these beautiful but dangerous animals, Gould hopes to educate society and prevent life-threatening encounters.

• About the Bears: The black bear is the only species of bear naturally found in North Carolina, and it covers approximately 60% of its land area, mostly in the mountainous regions of the west, where Asheville lies, and the wooded coastlands of the east.


• About the Study: Gould hopes to learn much about the health of the bears as well as their habits. In the past, scientists have gleaned much of their information about bears from hunters who volunteered access to their kills or from bears killed on roads. Now, through GPS tracking, scientists can get data from living samples and hopefully preserve this once almost eliminated creature.


• About the Traps: Gould has set several traps throughout Asheville where bears have been seen, such as residential areas and parks. The traps are large barrel-like structures with a spring-loaded mechanism to close the bear in once it has been lured there by the sweet treats left as bait. The barrel has several vent holes and is quite spacious, so there is little, if any, trauma to the bear.


• About the Collars: Once a bear has been trapped, it is tranquilized. Researchers can then obtain blood and hair samples to check the health of the bear. Before releasing the bear back to the wild, they place a GPS collar on the bear to track its movements. The team hopes to study 40 bears over a five-year period to determine what is attracting them to the Asheville area. Gould has programmed the collars with a geofence so that he is alerted any time one of his collared bears comes within city limits.

Gould wants to understand why bears are moving to the city. Is it free food in the form of trash, or is it just the roaming nature of the bears that once had more territory to forage in? The GPS data from this study should help the North Carolina Wildlife Commission manage the bear population as well as educate the public about the habits and behaviors of bears.

GPS technology has come so far in such a short time, and even more advances are anticipated. In fact, one group of scientists is looking into coordinating location data on an x and y axis in order to determine certain behaviors at certain locations so that animals can be observed from a distance without ever invading their habitats. These are simply amazing advances in wildlife management.

Wildlife Management with GPS