I cant help but notice the amount of plastics used on floating devices and beacons attached to birds and animals, what happens to these devices once they fall off, do they then become turtle killers?
Thank you for your comment. Researchers aim to retrieve tags once they detach from the animal, as they are valuable pieces of equipment, have high resolution data on board, and it is not the intention of the researchers to pollute the marine environment. Satellite tags continue to transmit their position after they have detached, and research teams make every effort to retrieve them, however this is not always possible. Thus, it becomes a trade-off about whether the data the tags provide outweighs their potential to become marine debris. When working with threatened species, this is not a trade-off that researchers take lightly. However, the data obtained from satellite tagging can provide vital information about movement and habitat use for species of conservation concern, and this information can be used to improve their conservation status.
Love these videos!
Thanks Wendy! We're glad you enjoy them :)
I cant help but notice the amount of plastics used on floating devices and beacons attached to birds and animals, what happens to these devices once they fall off, do they then become turtle killers?
Thank you for your comment. Researchers aim to retrieve tags once they detach from the animal, as they are valuable pieces of equipment, have high resolution data on board, and it is not the intention of the researchers to pollute the marine environment. Satellite tags continue to transmit their position after they have detached, and research teams make every effort to retrieve them, however this is not always possible. Thus, it becomes a trade-off about whether the data the tags provide outweighs their potential to become marine debris. When working with threatened species, this is not a trade-off that researchers take lightly. However, the data obtained from satellite tagging can provide vital information about movement and habitat use for species of conservation concern, and this information can be used to improve their conservation status.