Table 1 Review of proximity logger deployments
Study | Logger brand or project name | Logger weight (g) | Target species | Mobile loggers | Static loggers | Target detection range (m)a | Radio frequency | Geo-referencing of encounters | Remote data download | Calibration scenario | Power consumption analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
[2] | Zebranet | Not reported | Zebra (Equus burchellii) | Yes (only for data retrieving) | Yes (base stations ‘daily drive’) | Not reported | 900 MHz | No A GPS module is embedded in the logger to track zebra movements | Yes Via radio between mobile loggers and base stations | Not reported | Yes |
[3] | Sirtrack Ltd. | 30 | Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) | Yes | No | 0.3–0.5 | 160 MHz | No | No (recapture necessary) | Tests on captive Possums [4] | No |
[5] | Sirtrack Ltd. | 125 | Racoon (Procyon lotor) | Yes | No | 1–1.5 | 916.5 MHz | No | No (recapture necessary) | Laboratory test to assess (1) threshold contact distance in dependence of antenna orientation; (2) contact duration and robustness Field tests on raccoons to evaluate (1) inter-logger distance variation pre- and post-deployment; (2) contacts reciprocity between loggers | Yes |
[6] | Sirtrack Ltd. | 150 (badger); not reported the weight of the cattle logger | Eurasian badger (Meles meles)/domestic cattle (Bos taurus) | Yes | No | 1.5–2.5 | 916.5 MHz | No | No (recapture necessary) | Laboratory test to assess threshold contact distance | No |
[7] | Sirtrack Ltd. | 120 | Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) | Yes | No | 0.3–0.5 | 916.5 MHz | No | No (recapture necessary) | Laboratory test to assess threshold contact distance Field test on captive Tasmanian devils to assess contact distance, using video camera as ground truth | No |
[8] | Sirtrack Ltd. | Not reported | White tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) | Yes | No | 0–1.0 | 916.5 MHz | No | No (recapture necessary) | Field test on captive white tailed deer to compare observed and recorded contacts Contacts reciprocity assessed | No |
[9] | CraneTracker | ~100 | Whooping crane (Grus americana) | Yes (only for data retrieving) | Yes (base stations) | Not reported | 2.4 GHz | No A GPS is embedded in the logger to track long-range migratory movements | Yes Via radio between mobile loggers and base stations placed at wintering and breeding sites; via GSM modem during migration phase | Field test on wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) and on crane species other than Grus americana, to evaluate logger functioning prior to deployment on target species | Yes |
[10] | Sirtrack Ltd. | Not reported | Eurasian badger (Meles meles)/domestic cattle (Bos taurus) | Yes | Yes | 0.5–2 | 916.5 MHz | No | No (recapture necessary) | Laboratory test to evaluate (1) inter-logger distances at different heights and combinations; (2) contacts reciprocity; (3) contacts duration Field test on cattle to compare observed and recorded contacts | No |
[11] | Encounternet | 1 | Long-tailed manakin (Chiroxiphia linearis) | Yes | Yes | 5–30 | 433 MHz | No | Yes Via radio between mobile loggers and base stations, then via radio to a PC by means of a masternode | Field test to evaluate (1) RSSI/distance relationship; (2) duration and robustness of contacts; (3) effect of antenna orientation on connectivity; (4) effect of movement on connectivity (simulation) | No |
[12] | Encounternet | 10 | New Caledonian crow (Corvus moneduloides) | Yes | Yes (base stations) | 20–40 for mobile loggers 100 for static loggers | 433 MHz | Yes Via cross-triangulation between base stations and mobile loggers. RSSI values used to estimate inter-logger distance | Yes Via radio between mobile loggers and base stations, then via radio to a PC by means of a masternode | Field test on a fixed network made up of dead quails, to model the probabilistic relationship between RSSI and distance in function of height from ground, antenna orientation, habitat type. Details of calibration model are provided in [13, 14] | No |
[15] | Sirtrack Ltd. | Not reported | Cattle (Bos taurus) | Yes | Yes (base stations) | 2.0–3.5 | 916.5 MHz | No | No (recapture necessary) | Laboratory test to assess inter-logger distance (mobile–base station) Field test on dairy cows to measure loggers reciprocity in measuring contact duration | No |
[16] | Encounternet | 65–70 | Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) | Yes | Yes (base stations) | 10 | 433 MHz | No | Yes Via radio between mobile loggers and base stations, then via radio to a PC by means of a masternode | Laboratory test to assess (1) RSSI/distance relationship; (2) effect of antenna orientation on connectivity; (3) duration and robustness of contacts Field test (1) to measure loggers reciprocity; (2) to compare observed and recorded contacts; (3) to assess RSSI/distance relationship in outdoor conditions | No |
[17] | Bat Monitoring Project | 30–50 | Flying fox family (Pteropodidae) | Yes | Yes (base stations) | Not reported | < 1 GHz | No A GPS is embedded in the logger to track bats movements | Yes Via radio between mobile loggers and base stations, then via GSM modem to the central database | Not reported | Yes |
[18] | Encounternet | 1.3 | Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) | Yes | Yes (base stations) | 0–40 for mobile loggers 100 for static loggers | 433 MHz | No | Yes Via radio between mobile loggers and base stations, then via radio to a PC by means of a masternode | Field tests to evaluate (1) body effect, antenna orientation and environment effect on RSSI/distance relationship; (2) inter-logger variability; (3) contacts reciprocity | No |
[19] | WildScope | 440 | Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)/domestic horse (Equus caballus) | Yes | Yes | 5–30 | 2.4 GHz | Yes A GPS is triggered in case of contact between proximity loggers | Yes Via GSM modem from mobile loggers to the central database | Field test ‘in vitro’ to evaluate effect of height from ground, casing and radio power on contact distance Field test on horses to compare observed versus recorded contacts in relation to distance and radio power Field test on roe deer to evaluate functioning of contact-triggered GPS acquisition in case of contact | Yes |
[20] | BATS | 2 | Mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) | Yes | Yes (base stations) | 50 | 868 MHz | Yes Via cross-triangulation between base stations and mobile loggers. RSSI values used to estimate inter-logger distance | Yes Via radio between mobile loggers and base stations | Not reported | Yes |
[21] | BATS | 2 | Fringe-lipped bat (Trachops cirrhosis) | Yes | Yes (base stations) | 10 | 868 MHz | No | Yes Via radio between mobile loggers and base stations | Field test ‘in vitro’ to model relationship RSSI/distance, also in function of antenna orientation Field test ‘in vivo’ on mouse-eared bats to link RSSI variation to individual movement, using video camera as ground truth | No |