| |
Design, specification and installation of a radio and acoustic telemetry system to monitor the movement patterns of Hawksbill turtles
System design, specification, installation and calibration of acoustic and radio telemetry systems for use in a multi-year study designed to determine habitat utilization in the resident Hawksbill turtle population within a wildlife sanctuary.
The biological objectives of the study were met through the combined use of radio telemetry techniques to provide meso-scale spatial and temporal data on surfaced turtles within the park boundaries and acoustic telemetry for the manual tracking of submerged individuals. A remote datalogging radio telemetry station providing complete coverage of the coral reef area surrounding the island. The station was equipped with a multiple antenna array under the control of the receiver software. Remote access to the receiver was achieved through the use of a cellular telephone link, permitting the downloading of data and remote modification of receiver parameters. The remote location of the autonomous station necessitated the specification and installation of a photovoltaic power system employing projected power utilization calculations at the site. Acoustic telemetry was employed to provide micro-habitat information on transmitter equipped individuals.
ABI personnel were also involved in the training of park personnel in use of radio and acoustic telemetry equipment, both from a theoretical and a practical perspective, and participated in the capture of turtles and the attachment of both radio and acoustic transmitters.
|
|
