Development of a system for remotely monitoring vaginal implant transmitters and fawn survival

Abstract

Vaginal implant transmitters (VITs) are commonly used to determine the time of birth for ungulates to enable the capture and marking of their offspring. However, the use of VITs requires frequent monitoring and hence, high manpower and/or aviation costs. Similarly, offspring equipped with traditional telemetry transmitters necessitate large efforts for effective monitoring. The alternative described here uses communication between the VIT or offspring's transmitter and the parent's collar to monitor the status of the VIT or offspring's transmitter (Vectronic Aerospace, Berlin, Germany). The parent's collar uses its satellite communication capabilities to forward this information to the investigator when appropriate. I describe the development and successful deployment of this system in a study of black‐tailed deer Odocoileus hemionus columbianus.