History

Lotek

Founded in 1984, Lotek is a world leader in the design and manufacture of fish and wildlife monitoring systems. Our innovative and internationally recognized radio, acoustic, archival and satellite monitoring solutions allow researchers to track animals, birds and fish of almost any size, in almost any environment. Our craft is biotelemetry technology; our passion is the environment. We are committed to providing innovative solutions for a sustainable future. Whether an animal moves through a terrestrial, freshwater, marine or avian habitat, Lotek has a system to track it.

Leading researchers around the world rely on Lotek telemetry equipment and expertise. We are proud to be partners in fish and wildlife research being conducted in more than 100 countries – on every continent and in every ocean.

We look forward to continuing our tradition of advancing wildlife science in the development of fish and wildlife monitoring systems for many years to come!

 

Lotek UK

In 2007, Lotek Wireless acquired Biotrack Ltd., a provider of wildlife telemetry products based in Wareham, UK. In 2019 Biotrack Ltd was officially renamed Lotek UK Ltd completing our integration into the Lotek Group.

Biotrack arose from zoological research at Oxford University in the late 1970s and became a business in 1980. For over 25 years, before the days of small GPS circuits, the company specialised in VHF radio tracking equipment, developing particular expertise in the design of tags for birds. We grew steadily each year until, in 2007, we joined forces with Lotek Wireless, since when we have surged ahead with a broad range of tracking devices, including GPS and light geolocators, as well as traditional and pulse-coded radio tags. It is the winning combination of highly advanced engineering and bespoke design of tags for birds, that enables Lotek UK to build such sophisticated tools for ornithological research.

Lotek UK is immensely proud that our products are empowering research biologists to make new scientific discoveries, either for nature conservation or for wildlife management with more direct human benefits. Increasingly, our research customers are buying equipment to study the impact of climate change on wildlife, and often their findings heighten concerns about the ecological state of the planet. Enabling this research is possibly the greatest contribution that Lotek UK will make, both to nature and to people.

 

Lotek NZ

In 2011, Lotek Wireless acquired Sirtrack Ltd., a provider of bird, marine and wildlife telemetry products based in Havelock North, New Zealand. In 2019 Sirtrack Ltd was officially renamed Lotek NZ Ltd completing our integration into the Lotek Group.

Lotek NZ began as a collaboration between researchers, working with possums and studying the spread of bovine TB, and engineers at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). In the early 1980’s the DSIR was required to formalise the various research and engineering branches. With a marketable product and a sound business plan the DSIR created Sirtrack, a completely separate entity, to design, market and manufacture tracking devices.

Lotek NZ specializes in the design, manufacture and export of wildlife tracking systems, using state-of-the-art transmitter and satellite technologies. The company’s proactive attitude and combined expertise in electronics, engineering and wildlife biology has made Lotek NZ the largest supplier of wildlife monitoring equipment in New Zealand and Australia, and a leading global exporter to world markets, including North America, U.K., Europe and Africa.