AI Insight
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences have developed Capture-Free Telemetry (CFT), a method that allows GPS collars to be autonomously deployed on wild animals without physically capturing them first. The technique uses baited deployment units that attach tracking devices to animals as they interact with the equipment in their natural habitat. This proof-of-concept study, published in BioScience, addresses a six-decade-old challenge in wildlife research where animals had to be caught before being fitted with tracking devices.
Why it matters
This approach could significantly reduce stress and injury risks associated with capturing wild animals for research purposes. It may enable tracking of species that are difficult or dangerous to capture, expanding the scope of wildlife monitoring and conservation efforts while minimizing human-animal contact.
Understand the Science
For six decades, wildlife researchers have faced a persistent challenge: to attach a tracking device to study a wild animal, they first have to catch it. Now, a new approach developed at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) allows GPS collars to be deployed autonomously on free-roaming terrestrial wildlife. Published in BioScience, the proof-of-concept study demonstrates Capture-Free Telemetry (CFT), a technique that places tracking devices on wild animals as they interact with baited deployment units in their natural habitat.
Source: Wild animals can now GPS-collar themselves for research