Wildlife research uses a wide variety of animals to study species behavior and ecology, conservation, population management, disease transmission, and control method evaluation. Researchers should minimize negative impacts on animal welfare and use humane capture, handling, marking, tagging, and release methods appropriate to each species. Students in India learn valuable field skills like species identification, sampling, behavioral observation, remote sensing, social surveys, and communication to advance wildlife conservation goals through hands-on experience in national parks and protected areas. Electronic tags, biotelemetry devices, biologgers, and locational telemetry tools are used to track animal movements and transmit biological and environmental data.

1. Technology in Wildlife Research
Conservation Biology Unit
Jiwaji University, Gwalior

2. Wildlife research
A wide variety of wildlife is used in research
(including mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes,
amphibians and invertebrates) in studies aimed
at:
• understanding species behavior and ecology
• species conservation
• population management
• evaluating methodologies for control
• understanding the role of wildlife in disease
transmission.

3. Wildlife Studies
• Wildlife studies vary in their invasiveness and impact
on the animals being studied.
• In all circumstances, researchers should seek to
minimize any negative impact on the welfare of
animals involved.
• Good animal welfare practice for wildlife research is
characterized by the same features as laboratory-based
research, however different approaches and procedures
may be needed for wild animals compared with
laboratory-bred animals.

4. Wildlife Studies
• Wildlife species used in research vary greatly in
their body size, physiology and behaviour.
• The methods and equipment used should be
appropriate to the species and cause the least
distress.
• Anyone capturing animals should be trained and
competent in humane methods of capture,
handling and release, and in any scientific
procedures used, to minimise the impact on
animals and their environment.

5. • India offers scientific understanding for wildlife
conservation.
• All wildlife areas are considered as classrooms.
• Expeditions to the National Parks and other
protected areas offer students significant
opportunities to experience hands-on learning
about environmental issues.
• Students learn field research techniques and
methods for studying wildlife ecology and
assessing management policies and conservation
practices in the country.

6. • Students learn foundational field skills in
observation and evaluation of wildlife.
• They pursue interactive methods used for
assessing local community attitudes and
behaviors toward conservation efforts, and
apply these techniques to advance long-term
research goals.
• Students gain an understanding of sound
scientific principles and practices that can be
used in other global environmental contexts.

7. Capacity Building
Students learn:
Field skills including species identification
Sampling and data analysis methods for flora
and fauna
Animal behavioral study methods
remote and on-ground sensing and spatial
mapping
Social survey design
Interviewing skills, and communication skills

8. Wildlife Studies
• Capture/trapping
• Handling wild animals
• Marking by banding, tagging, branding,
tattooing and toe, ear or tail clipping
• Attaching an external, or implanting an
internal, radio transmitter - the device should
be within the recommended percentage of
weight of the study animal and also be suitable
for the animal's lifestyle
• Medical/surgical interventions using an-
aesthetics and immobilizing agents

9. Electronic tags
• The full suite of animal-borne instruments and
attachments that log, transmit or receive
information; for example, time-depth
recorders, satellite tags, VHF radio and
ultrasonic transmitters, accelerometers, and
animal-borne cameras as opposed to
identification tags that are made of steel or
plastic and are generally engraved with an
identification code

10. Biotelemetry
• Devices that record or transmit information on
the biological parameters of the organism to
which they are attached. For instance, the body
temperature or heart rate of the organism
Biologgers
Archival data loggers that can record biotic data
(e.g. body temperature or heart rate) and abiotic
data (e.g. depth, light level, environmental
temperature). These electronic tags must later
have the data downloaded from them.

11. Locational telemetry
• Specifically tags that
transmit radio or acoustic
signals that can be detected
by stationary antennas or
orbiting satellites. These tags
are typically used for
locational (x, y coordinate)
data but may also transmit
(upload) other logged data

12. Telemetry
• Animal movements are usually studied over time frames of
days to years, and often are quantified in terms of distance
traveled or total area covered.
• Ground-based, VHF telemetry is used extensively to
delineate and describe home ranges of animals whose
movements are somewhat restricted.
• Advances in electronics and space-age technology have
given innovative engineers and manufacturers new
material, which they use to provide biologists with new
equipment with which new methods are developed.
• Radio-telemetry equipment is now available with more
options from more vendors than ever before, and new
capabilities become available at a rapid pace.
• Research and conservation of carnivores will surely benefit
from continued use of radio-telemetry

13. Data Loggers
• The Data Loggers are
made up of a GPS that
records data to a memory
on the Hawk75
(Datalogger – GPS) unit
that is capable of storing
up to 20 000 readings.
• The frequency of readings
that the unit is set to take
will determine the lifespan
of the Data Logger – as
well as the battery pack
used.

14. Tranquilizer Dart Rifle
• Dart Guns
• Dart Pistols
• Jabsticks
• Blowpipes
• Darts
• Needles
• These products can be used on
wildlife for many different
purposes like:
• Anasthetize
• Tranquilize
• Medicate
• Vaccinate
• Biopsy

15. BARHI
CHAKARNAGAR
Remote Sensing
Multi-temporal satellite imageries are used to generate habitat maps
by using GPS & Softwares like Arc GIS and Erdas