Wildlife Telemetry, Camera Traps, and Habitat Assessment Techniques

What is the primary difference between VHF and GPS telemetry systems in wildlife tracking?

VHF requires manual signal tracking using a receiver, while GPS automatically records and transmits animal locations using satellites.

Which telemetry method involves taking at least three compass bearings to estimate an animal's position?

Triangulation.

When conducting aerial telemetry, why are two antennas mounted on the wings of an aircraft?

To determine whether the animal's signal is coming from the left or right side of the aircraft.

A directional antenna is NOT required for which of the following activities?

Homing in on a dead animal with a radiocollar.

Name two major risks or disadvantages associated with aerial telemetry.

Aircraft crashes and motion sickness; high cost and risk to biologists.

Define non-invasive vs non-destructive wildlife sampling and give one example of each.

Non-invasive: animal is unaware (e.g., camera trap, scat DNA). Non-destructive: does not kill animal but may handle it (e.g., blood draw, ear punch).

What type of sensor do most modern camera traps use to detect wildlife?

Passive infrared motion sensors that detect "heat in motion."

List two advantages and two disadvantages of using camera traps for wildlife research.

Advantages: Noninvasive, continuous monitoring. Disadvantages: Theft, false triggers, and environmental damage.

What types of data can acoustic monitoring provide, and when is it preferable over camera trapping?

It provides data on biodiversity, density, and population health—useful for nocturnal or cryptic species that vocalize often.

What is wavelength inversely proportional to?

Frequency.

What percentage of an animal's body weight should a transmitter be?

Less than 3-5%.

True or False: Most transmitter batteries are rechargeable.

False.

What is a receiver similar to?

A car radio.

True or False: Omnidirectional receivers (or whip) receive signals from all directions.

True.

An antenna CAN'T be...

Animal mounted

You don't need a directional antenna for which of the following...

Determining if there is a radio transmitter in the area.

What information CANNOT be obtained using radiotelemetry?

Physical injury.

Which of the following are enucleated?

Mammals.

What is the name of the pad below the toe pads?

Interdigital pad.

What is the track formula for the dog family?

F4 H4 C.

What is the track formula for the cat family?

F4 H4.

What is frequency?

Number of oscillations per second.

What is a wavelength?

Physical distance between two similar parts of a wave.

What is pulse rate?

Number of times a transmitter emits signal per minute.

What does it mean for a method to be non-destructive?

It does not kill the animal.

What does it mean for a method to be non-invasive?

The animal is not aware of the collection of data.

Which is NOT a non-invasive method?
A) Camera trap B) Capture DNA C) Capture tracks D) Ear tags

Ear tags.

What is population size?

The number of animals of the same species occupying a defined area at the same time.

What is population density?

The number of animals of the same species per unit area.

What are some camera trap benefits?

Non-invasive, cheap, non-technical setup, useful for elusive species.

What is a dietary specialist?

An animal that eats a narrow range of foods.

What is a dietary generalist?

An animal that eats a wide range of foods.

Cover providing protection from predators and other threatening animals or humans is called?
A) Security cover B) Thermal cover C) Prey cover D) Habitat cover

Security cover.

What is the difference between security cover and thermal cover?

Security cover provides protection from predators and other threatening animals or humans. Thermal cover provides protection from excessive cold or heat.

What are the three basic components all animals need in a habitat?

Food/water, cover, and interspersion of cover and food.

Say you are researching a herd of ungulates and want to measure how much time they spend feeding or doing other fitness-related activities. What should you measure, which method should you use, and why?

Measure the "fear" response of the herd; the safer they feel, the more time they will spend on these activities. Use scan sampling to measure this response in the whole herd.

Which of the following is NOT a way to obtain food from the digestive system of a live animal for post-ingestion analysis?
a) An esophageal ligature b) An emetic substance c) Dissecting an animal d) A lavage

Dissecting an animal

What is a fistula? What animals are these used for?

A surgically created permanent opening that connects to the digestive tract for access from the outside. Commonly used on ungulates like cows or moose.

To measure forced convection, biologists can use which of the following?
a.) Anemometer b.) Hygrometer c.) Pyrometer d.) Sling psychrometer

Anemometer.

The temperature at which a homeotherm begins to expend additional energy to keep its body temperature from declining is called...
a) Thermal neutral zone b) Upper critical temperature c) Lower critical temperature d) Summit metabolism

Lower critical temperature.

What are six locations in the digestive tract that researchers can obtain food from (from easiest to hardest to identify)?

Esophagus, Crop, Rumen, Stomach, Cecum, Intestines.

How would you decipher this track formula: f5 (4) H5 (4) co?

f5 = smaller front foot with 5 toes, H5 = larger hind foot with 5 toes, (4) = occasionally only shows 4 toes, co = claws occasional.

How do you indicate the front or hind feet are larger in a track formula?

By capitalizing either the "F" or "H" when writing the formula.

What are some difficulties with non-invasive DNA collection methods in the field?

DNA from non-invasive methods tends to be low quality and quantity; must be properly stored to prevent degradation and processed in a clean environment.

What are the four ways an animal can have thermal cover?

Radiation, convection, conduction, evaporation.

Humans experience evaporation through sweating, but what is another way other animals may experience evaporation?

Panting or when their bodies are wet.

Provide one example of thermal cover and one method used to assess cover quality for radiation heat exchange.

Example: Rock warmed by sun, burrow/cavity, or tree canopy cover. Method: thermometer, thermister, pyrometer, pyranometer, black body temp, or operative temperature measurement.

What is the significance of glucocorticoids?

Cortisol/stress hormones; part of active defense (fight or flight); can reduce immune function and increase energy expenditure.

What kind of topography does UAS digital surface model capture?

Streams, mima mounds, and vegetation/shrubs.

What are the two different types of acoustic survey methods, and what kind of data collection are they used for?

Passive monitoring: species composition, population size, noise over time. Active monitoring: target recordings of individuals, behavioral context, and response to stimuli.