MateID: Design and Testing of a Novel Device For Recording Contacts Between Free-Ranging Animals

The design and testing of an electronic device, MateID (Electronics Laboratory, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand), for recording close proximity between wild animals is described. Comprising a receiver and data logger in a collar mounting, the device detects period-coded radiotags...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Wildlife Society bulletin 2006-03, Vol.34 (1), p.203-207
Main Authors: DOUGLAS, MURRAY E, JI, WEIHONG, CLOUT, MICHAEL N
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Animals
brushtail possum
Conservation biology
contact rates
Departments
Design
Electronic monitoring
From the Field
MateID data logger
Mating behavior
mating behaviour
Mating systems
Opossums
proximity
social behaviour
Testing
Transmitters
Trichosurus vulpecular
Vertebrates
Video cameras
Wild animals
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife observation
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Description
Summary:The design and testing of an electronic device, MateID (Electronics Laboratory, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand), for recording close proximity between wild animals is described. Comprising a receiver and data logger in a collar mounting, the device detects period-coded radiotags at distances below 40 cm. It stores time-stamped identification data in memory for up to 2 years for later down-loading to computer for processing. Bench trials of the MateID device confirmed its reliability. It recorded presence of 98.9% of stationary single tags placed within 40 cm and identified all of these correctly. However, no tags were identified where ≥2 tags were present within a 40-cm range. Trials on MateID devices attached to neck collars on captive brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecular) were conducted in large pens. Simultaneous video recordings confirmed that the devices accurately recorded all observed approaches (closer than 40 cm) by possums carrying MateID collars to a bait feeder fitted with a radiotransmitter. Contacts between a radiotagged possum and three carrying a MateID device also were accurately recorded. The device “MateID” provides a new technique for studying social and mating systems of free-ranging vertebrates. It also can be useful for monitoring or research of captive animals.
ISSN:0091-7648
1938-5463
DOI:10.2193/0091-7648(2006)34[203:MDATOA]2.0.CO;2