In the vast, open landscapes where cattle roam, a technological tug-of-war is unfolding, pitting traditional GPS collars against a new contender: solar-powered GPS ear tags. This isn’t just a battle of gadgets; it’s a story of innovation, economics, and the future of animal tracking, with implications that stretch far beyond the pasture.
For decades, GPS collars have been the gold standard for monitoring animal movement, especially for larger mammals. They’ve provided invaluable data for wildlife conservation, agricultural management, and even energy sector projects that need to understand and mitigate wildlife impacts. But as Dylan G. Stewart, a researcher from the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management at Texas A&M University, puts it, “Technology is always evolving, and it’s our job to evaluate these new tools to see if they can give us better, or at least different, insights.”
Stewart and his team set out to compare these new solar-powered GPS ear tags, dubbed mOOvement version 1, with the tried-and-true GPS collars from Vectronic Aerospace. The results, published in the journal ‘Smart Agricultural Technology’ (translated from the original German, ‘Intelligente Landwirtschaftstechnologie’), offer a mix of promise and caution.
During stationary tests, the ear tags showed a mean horizontal error of about 41 meters, significantly higher than the 2 meters of the collars. When deployed on beef cows, the error increased to nearly 59 meters between paired ear tag and collar locations. “This discrepancy could potentially introduce bias into estimates of movement and space use,” Stewart warns. But here’s the kicker: the ear tags are more economical, a factor that could sway decisions in budget-conscious projects.
The study also revealed a stark difference in fix acquisition rates—the percentage of time the device successfully records a location. During animal deployment, ear tags managed only 30.7%, while collars maintained a perfect 100%. This drop in acquisition rate for ear tags was largely due to battery life issues, a challenge that solar power was supposed to mitigate.
So, what does this mean for the energy sector? As renewable energy projects, like wind farms, continue to expand into rural and wildlife-rich areas, understanding animal movement patterns becomes crucial. GPS tracking helps energy companies design projects that minimize wildlife impacts and comply with regulations. The choice between collars and ear tags could depend on the specific needs and constraints of each project.
Looking ahead, this research could shape the future of animal tracking technology. Manufacturers might be inspired to improve ear tag designs, focusing on reducing horizontal error and enhancing battery life. Meanwhile, energy companies and researchers might adopt a more nuanced approach, using collars for high-precision studies and ear tags for broader, more economical monitoring.
As Stewart sees it, “The future of animal tracking lies in striking a balance between cost, accuracy, and the specific needs of each study. It’s not about one technology replacing the other, but about choosing the right tool for the job.” And in the ever-evolving world of technology, that’s a perspective worth heeding.