In the heart of Texas, a novel experiment is taking flight, merging cutting-edge consumer technology with wildlife research. Brooke A. Poplin, a researcher from the University of North Texas, has pioneered the use of Apple AirTags to track the movements of Harris’s hawks in the Rio Grande Valley. This innovative approach, detailed in a recent study published in the Wildlife Society Bulletin, could revolutionize how we understand urban wildlife behavior and potentially offer cost-effective solutions for industries like energy, where wildlife monitoring is crucial.
Traditionally, wildlife researchers have relied on Very High Frequency (VHF) transmitters to track animals. While effective, these devices have limitations, particularly in urban environments where field time is constrained. “We were only able to get about four locations per hawk using VHF transmitters,” Poplin explains. “This limited our ability to understand the detailed movements and spatial use of these birds.”
Enter the Apple AirTag, a small, affordable Bluetooth tracking device that can be purchased for around $30. Poplin and her team tagged six Harris’s hawks with AirTags and compared the data with nine hawks fitted with VHF transmitters. The results were striking. Over 12 weeks, the AirTags yielded 236 locations, with an average of 39 locations per hawk, compared to just 36 locations from the VHF transmitters. “The cost per location was significantly lower with AirTags,” Poplin notes. “We were able to get data for just $0.96 per location, compared to $69.08 with VHF telemetry.”
The study also conducted a home range analysis using the Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) method. For the three hawks equipped with AirTags that provided sufficient data, the researchers estimated a 95% MCP home range of 284 hectares for an adult hawk and an average of 133.5 hectares for two juvenile hawks. Core 50% MCP home ranges were 31.9 hectares for the adult and an average of 13.5 hectares for the juveniles.
The implications of this research extend beyond wildlife biology. For the energy sector, understanding the movements and spatial use of wildlife is critical for minimizing environmental impacts and ensuring compliance with regulations. “This technology offers a low-cost alternative for researchers working with medium-sized and large species in areas with high human activity,” Poplin says. “It allows us to collect remote locations on wildlife, which is invaluable for industries like energy that need to monitor wildlife movements near infrastructure.”
However, the study also highlights some limitations. AirTags rely on proximity to Apple devices to update their location, and their battery life is finite. “Studies should be designed with these limitations in mind,” Poplin advises. “But the potential is there, and we’re excited to see how this technology can be further developed and applied.”
As the world becomes increasingly urbanized, the need for innovative wildlife monitoring tools grows. Poplin’s research demonstrates that consumer technology can play a significant role in this effort, offering a cost-effective and efficient way to track wildlife movements. For the energy sector, this could mean more accurate data, better decision-making, and ultimately, a more sustainable approach to managing wildlife impacts.
In the words of Poplin, “This is just the beginning. We’re opening up a new avenue for wildlife research, and the possibilities are endless.” As the study was published in the Wildlife Society Bulletin, it marks a significant step forward in the field of wildlife telemetry, promising to shape future developments and inspire further innovation.