Introduction
Scientists around the world utilize a few different types of satellite tracking in order to track animals for both research on things such as migratory routes, to monitoring endangered species for wildlife conservation efforts. There are many other environmental uses for satellites, however we will be focusing on its uses for tracking animals, namely endangered species in remote locations.
Since around 1900 when scientists first began to track individual animals, the technology used has changed very dramatically. Around 1900 the first bird banding took place, where scientists would hook a small band to a bird with a number. If this bird were once again found at a later date by anyone, these changes in location and in the physical characteristics of the bird provided scientists with information on migratory patters, population, mortality, and feeding behaviour to name just a few. in the late 1950's radio transmitters began to be used, and while still in effect today as they are very inexpensive to use, they only work over short areas. To use a radio transmitter, a small electronic tag that emits a very high frequency signal is hooked to the animal. A person must then go out into the field with a directional antenna to track where the signal is coming from, these must typically be within a few kilometres of the animal. With new developments in satellite technology however, we can track animals across the globe with the help of two primary systems, the Argos satellite system and the GPS tracking system.
Since around 1900 when scientists first began to track individual animals, the technology used has changed very dramatically. Around 1900 the first bird banding took place, where scientists would hook a small band to a bird with a number. If this bird were once again found at a later date by anyone, these changes in location and in the physical characteristics of the bird provided scientists with information on migratory patters, population, mortality, and feeding behaviour to name just a few. in the late 1950's radio transmitters began to be used, and while still in effect today as they are very inexpensive to use, they only work over short areas. To use a radio transmitter, a small electronic tag that emits a very high frequency signal is hooked to the animal. A person must then go out into the field with a directional antenna to track where the signal is coming from, these must typically be within a few kilometres of the animal. With new developments in satellite technology however, we can track animals across the globe with the help of two primary systems, the Argos satellite system and the GPS tracking system.