Asset Tracking Whales—First Deployment of a Custom-Made GPS/GSM Suction Cup Tag on Migrating Humpback Whales

Jan-Olaf Meynecke,Nikolai Liebsch

doi:10.3390/jmse9060597

Abstract

The study of marine mammals is greatly enhanced through fine scale data on habitat use. Here we used a commonly available asset tracker Global Positioning System/Global Systems for Mobile Communication (GPS/GSM) integrated into a CATS suction cup tag to test its feasibility in providing real time location position on migrating humpback whales in coastal waters of eastern Australia. During two deployments—one on a suspected male and another on a female humpback whale—the tags provided location points with relatively high accuracy for both individuals albeit different swim behavior and surface intervals. In combination with an integrated archival data logger, the tag also provided detailed information on fine scale habitat use such as dive profiles. However, surface intervals were too short to allow for an upload of location data during deployment. Further improvements of the tag design will allow remote access to location data after deployment. Preliminary results suggested location acquisition was better when the tag was positioned well above the midline of the whale body. The technology promises less expensive, more reliable and more accurate short-term tracking of humpback whales compared to satellite relay tags, and it has the potential to be deployed on other marine mammals in coastal waters.

Highlights

IntroductionBiotelemetry (remotely monitoring, recording, and measuring of a living organism’s physical behavior) is an essential tool in marine ecology because it allows the tracking of wild individuals [1] and can be helpful in contributing to filling knowledge gaps in habitat use and behavior of marine mammals
The technology promises less expensive, more reliable and more accurate short-term tracking of humpback whales compared to satellite relay tags, and it has the potential to be deployed on other marine mammals in coastal waters
Biotelemetry is an essential tool in marine ecology because it allows the tracking of wild individuals [1] and can be helpful in contributing to filling knowledge gaps in habitat use and behavior of marine mammals

Summary

Introduction

Biotelemetry (remotely monitoring, recording, and measuring of a living organism’s physical behavior) is an essential tool in marine ecology because it allows the tracking of wild individuals [1] and can be helpful in contributing to filling knowledge gaps in habitat use and behavior of marine mammals. With the introduction of satellite tags, technology quickly advanced further, and Global Positioning System (GPS), accelerometers, magnetometers, pressure sensors, and acoustic recorders were integrated into tags This allowed for the collection of a wide range of biological and environmental information from which we can infer animal behavior, including underwater behavior. Suction cup tags do not have to penetrate the animals’ skin and can be used for short term deployments (hours to days), making them applicable for fine scale habitat use studies that investigate movements within the range of meters to kilometers. State-of-the-art suction cup tags with various archival data loggers, predefined release mechanism and lightweight, hydrodynamic shapes can contain GPS modules that can relay location via satellite (e.g., ARGOS or Iridium) for easier retrieval at sea, but their price can range between 2000–5000 USD for a single module.

Results

Suction

Discussion