Review

. 2020 May;61(3):373-387.

doi: 10.1007/s10329-020-00793-7. Epub 2020 Jan 21.

Review of GPS collar deployments and performance on nonhuman primates

Kerry M Dore¹, Malene F Hansen^{2

3}, Amy R Klegarth⁴, Claudia Fichtel⁵, Flávia Koch⁵, Andrea Springer⁵, Peter Kappeler⁵, Joyce A Parga⁶, Tatyana Humle⁷, Christelle Colin⁷, Estelle Raballand⁷, Zhi-Pang Huang⁸, Xiao-Guang Qi^{9

10}, Anthony Di Fiore¹¹, Andrés Link¹², Pablo R Stevenson¹², Danica J Stark^{13

14}, Noeleen Tan¹⁵, Christa A Gallagher¹⁶, C Jane Anderson¹⁷, Christina J Campbell¹⁸, Marina Kenyon¹⁹, Paula Pebsworth^{20

21}, David Sprague²², Lisa Jones-Engel⁴, Agustín Fuentes²³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, One Bear Place, Waco, TX, 76798, USA. kerrymdore@gmail.com.
² Research and Conservation, Copenhagen Zoo, 2000, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
³ Animal Behaviour Group. Section for Ecology and Evolution, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
⁴ Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 230 Raitt Hall, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
⁵ Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
⁶ Department of Anthropology, California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA.
⁷ Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NR, UK.
⁸ Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China.
⁹ College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xian, 710069, Shanxi, China.
¹⁰ Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xian, 710069, Shaanxi, China.
¹¹ Department of Anthropology, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
¹² Department of Biological Science, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.
¹³ Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
¹⁴ Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.
¹⁵ Singapore National Parks Board, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁶ Department of Biomedical Science, Center for Conservation Medicine and Ecosystem Health, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, West Indies, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
¹⁷ Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Anthropology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA.
¹⁹ Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre, Tan Phu, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam.
²⁰ Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, One Bear Place, Waco, TX, 76798, USA.
²¹ National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore, India.
²² National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 3-1-3 Kannondai, Tsukuba, 305-8604, Japan.
²³ Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, 648 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA.

PMID: 31965380
PMCID: PMC8118416
DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00793-7

Review

Review of GPS collar deployments and performance on nonhuman primates

Kerry M Dore et al. Primates. 2020 May.

. 2020 May;61(3):373-387.

doi: 10.1007/s10329-020-00793-7. Epub 2020 Jan 21.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, One Bear Place, Waco, TX, 76798, USA. kerrymdore@gmail.com.
² Research and Conservation, Copenhagen Zoo, 2000, Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
³ Animal Behaviour Group. Section for Ecology and Evolution, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
⁴ Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 230 Raitt Hall, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
⁵ Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
⁶ Department of Anthropology, California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA.
⁷ Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NR, UK.
⁸ Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China.
⁹ College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xian, 710069, Shanxi, China.
¹⁰ Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xian, 710069, Shaanxi, China.
¹¹ Department of Anthropology, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
¹² Department of Biological Science, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.
¹³ Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
¹⁴ Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK.
¹⁵ Singapore National Parks Board, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁶ Department of Biomedical Science, Center for Conservation Medicine and Ecosystem Health, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, West Indies, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
¹⁷ Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Anthropology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA.
¹⁹ Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre, Tan Phu, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam.
²⁰ Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, One Bear Place, Waco, TX, 76798, USA.
²¹ National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore, India.
²² National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 3-1-3 Kannondai, Tsukuba, 305-8604, Japan.
²³ Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, 648 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA.

PMID: 31965380
PMCID: PMC8118416
DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00793-7

Erratum in

Correction to: Review of GPS collar deployments and performance on nonhuman primates.
Dore KM, Hansen MF, Klegarth AR, Fichtel C, Koch F, Springer A, Kappeler P, Parga JA, Humle T, Colin C, Raballand E, Huang ZP, Qi XG, Di Fiore A, Link A, Stevenson PR, Stark DJ, Tan N, Gallagher CA, Anderson CJ, Campbell CJ, Kenyon M, Pebsworth P, Sprague D, Jones-Engel L, Fuentes A. Dore KM, et al. Primates. 2020 May;61(3):389-390. doi: 10.1007/s10329-020-00800-x. Primates. 2020. PMID: 32026151

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, GPS collars have emerged as powerful tools for the study of nonhuman primate (hereafter, "primate") movement ecology. As the size and cost of GPS collars have decreased and performance has improved, it is timely to review the use and success of GPS collar deployments on primates to date. Here we compile data on deployments and performance of GPS collars by brand and examine how these relate to characteristics of the primate species and field contexts in which they were deployed. The compiled results of 179 GPS collar deployments across 17 species by 16 research teams show these technologies can provide advantages, particularly in adding to the quality, quantity, and temporal span of data collection. However, aspects of this technology still require substantial improvement in order to make deployment on many primate species pragmatic economically. In particular, current limitations regarding battery lifespan relative to collar weight, the efficacy of remote drop-off mechanisms, and the ability to remotely retrieve data need to be addressed before the technology is likely to be widely adopted. Moreover, despite the increasing utility of GPS collars in the field, they remain substantially more expensive than VHF collars and tracking via handheld GPS units, and cost considerations of GPS collars may limit sample sizes and thereby the strength of inferences. Still, the overall high quality and quantity of data obtained, combined with the reduced need for on-the-ground tracking by field personnel, may help defray the high equipment cost. We argue that primatologists armed with the information in this review have much to gain from the recent, substantial improvements in GPS collar technology.

Keywords: Primate behavior; Ranging; Satellite; Spatial ecology; Wildlife tracking.

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Figures

**Fig. 1**
Number of GPS collar deployments by species and age group

**Fig. 2**
Number of GPS collar deployments by species and sex, mean sex ratio (M:F) 1.5:0.6

**Fig. 3**
Savannah baboon (*Papio cynocephalus*) with Advanced Telemetry Systems G2110B GPS collar attached around the neck (credit: Catherine Markham)

**Fig. 4**
Ring-tailed lemur (*Lemur catta*) with Telemetry Solutions Quantum 4000 Medium GPS collar attached around the neck (credit: Joyce Parga)

**Fig. 5**
Green monkey (*Chlorocebus sabaeus*) with Tellus Ultralight GPS collar attached around the waist (credit: Kerry Dore)

**Fig. 6**
GPS collar weights by brand including drop-off units where applicable, and drop-off weights by brand

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Anderson A, Heard DJ, Andreu MA, Hostetler ME, Johnson SA (2017) Winter home range and habitat selection of a Rhesus Macaque Group (Macaca mulatta) at Silver Springs State Park C. Florida Scientist 80(4):159–164
1. Bearder SK, Martin RD (1980) The social organization of a nocturnal primate revealed by radio tracking. In: Amlaner CJ, Macdonald DW (eds) Handbook on biotelemetry and radiotracking. Pergamon Press, Oxford, pp 633–648
1. Blackie HM (2010) Comparative performance of three brands of lightweight global positioning system collars. J Wildl Manag 74(8):1911–1916
1. Cagnacci F, Boitani L, Powell RA, Boyce MS (2010) Animal ecology meets GPS-based radiotelemetry: a perfect storm of opportunities and challenges. Philosoph Trans R Soc B 365:1550. 10.1098/rstb.2010.0107 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Campbell AF, Sussman RW (1994) The value of radio tracking in the study of rainforest Neotropical primates. Am J Primatol 32:291–301 - PubMed

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Review of GPS collar deployments and performance on nonhuman primates

Affiliations

Review of GPS collar deployments and performance on nonhuman primates

Authors

Affiliations

Erratum in

Abstract

Figures

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Research Materials

Miscellaneous