Tracking collars uncover secrets of critically endangered Aussie icon
December 19, 2024 8:51 PM Subscribe
Tracking collars uncover secrets of critically endangered Aussie icon. The habits of the northern hairy-nosed wombat have been a mystery until now, thanks to the animal equivalent of a fitness tracker.
I don't think there's any evidence that the collar is particularly annoying to the animals? Most tracking collars are carefully designed to be as light and minimize impedance to animals as much as possible. No one wants to belatedly discover that your tracking technology got an animal eaten, and irritated or annoyed animals find ways to ditch collars all the time. Wombats certainly aren't an exception there.
posted by sciatrix at 2:06 PM on December 20, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by sciatrix at 2:06 PM on December 20, 2024 [2 favorites]
This is so interesting, and so encouraging!
It's fantastic to learn that there may be 400 wombats now, after the low of just 35 in the 1980s.
And it's so interesting to read about their digging after the man-made burrows - that some of their new burrows are close to the human-made ones, and others are farther away.
I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing it, chariot pulled by cassowaries!
posted by kristi at 3:19 PM on December 20, 2024
It's fantastic to learn that there may be 400 wombats now, after the low of just 35 in the 1980s.
And it's so interesting to read about their digging after the man-made burrows - that some of their new burrows are close to the human-made ones, and others are farther away.
I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing it, chariot pulled by cassowaries!
posted by kristi at 3:19 PM on December 20, 2024
Sciatrix, I know it's a necessary evil, *for science* but as you said: ...irritated or annoyed animals find ways to ditch collars all the time so I'm sure along with the critters that manage to ditch 'em, there are plenty who would like to, but can't. After all, scientists design them to stay on under demanding conditions! I know critters do get used to wearing them....
But I think of my dog and her little 1/2 light nylon collar. I quit leaving it on if she's in the house. It wears her hair down, and she scratches at it and makes the tags jingle, annoying both of us. When it's on outside, half the time if she gets a tick, it will be under the collar. Now that the collar means going out, she's happy to see it, but she lets me know she wants it off when we get home.
I imagine there eventually be something so small that it can be implanted under the skin.
posted by BlueHorse at 5:49 PM on December 21, 2024
But I think of my dog and her little 1/2 light nylon collar. I quit leaving it on if she's in the house. It wears her hair down, and she scratches at it and makes the tags jingle, annoying both of us. When it's on outside, half the time if she gets a tick, it will be under the collar. Now that the collar means going out, she's happy to see it, but she lets me know she wants it off when we get home.
I imagine there eventually be something so small that it can be implanted under the skin.
posted by BlueHorse at 5:49 PM on December 21, 2024
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posted by BlueHorse at 11:37 AM on December 20, 2024