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Telemetry without collars: performance of fur- and ear-mounted satellite tags for evaluating the movement and behaviour of polar bears

Title	Telemetry without collars: performance of fur- and ear-mounted satellite tags for evaluating the movement and behaviour of polar bears
Authors	Tyler R. Ross, Gregory W. Thiemann, B. J. Kirschhoffer, Jon Kirschhoffer, Geoff York, Andrew E. Derocher, Amy C. Johnson, Nicholas J. Lunn, David McGeachy, Vicki Trim, Joseph M. Northrup
Magazine	Animal Biotelemetry
Date	07/15/2024
DOI	10.1186/s40317-024-00373-2
Introduction	Understanding animal movement offers crucial insights into ecological processes, informing analyses of behaviour and resource use vital for species management and conservation. Advances in tracking tools over recent decades enable data collection from diverse species, including those in remote habitats. For over 50 years, satellite-linked radio and GPS collars have been instrumental in studying polar bear (Ursus maritimus) ecology across the Arctic. However, morphological and growth constraints limit reliable collaring to adult female polar bears. Despite their safety, opposition to collar use has led to data gaps across much of the species' range. To enhance understanding of movement characteristics and behaviours in polar bears beyond adult females, and to offer an alternative to collars, this study evaluated fur- and ear-mounted telemetry tags suitable for polar bears of any sex and age. We assessed three fur tag designs (SeaTrkr, tribrush, and pentagon tags) on 15 adult and 1 subadult male polar bears along the Hudson Bay coast during August–September 2021–2022. These fur tags were compared with ear tags deployed on 42 subadult and adult male polar bears captured on the coast or sea ice between 2016 and 2022. Data from these tags were used to quantify the time subadult and adult males spent resting versus travelling on land. Our findings indicate that the three fur tag designs had shorter mean functional durations (SeaTrkr = 58 days; tribrush = 47 days; pentagon = 22 days) compared to ear tags (121 days). However, positional error estimates for Argos-equipped tags were comparable. The GPS/Iridium-equipped SeaTrkr fur tags provided higher resolution and more frequent location data. Collectively, these tags yielded sufficient data to model various behavioural states. Consistent with our expectations, subadult and adult male polar bears predominantly rested while on land, increasing their travel time as temperatures decreased. Fur tags demonstrate potential as a short-term method for gathering movement data from free-ranging polar bears.
Quote	Tyler R Ross, Gregory W Thiemann and B. J. Kirschhoffer et al. Telemetry without collars: performance of fur- and ear-mounted satellite tags for evaluating the movement and behaviour of polar bears. Anim Biotelemetry. 2024. DOI: 10.1186/s40317-024-00373-2
Element	Iridium (Ir)
Industry	Research & Laboratory , Electronics

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