Tracking and monitoring endangered wildlife for conservation, digitally

In recent years, the global wildlife population has significantly decreased. The 2022 Living Planet Report reveals that wild species have declined by 69% between 1970 and 2018, and today, more than 45,300 species are in danger of extinction. Various factors, such as pollution (including water, air, and soil contamination), climate change, overexploitation for the sake of agriculture or urbanization, habitat fragmentation and loss, invasive species, and diseases, contribute to this decline. Overfishing, hunting, and poaching also play a role in the drastic decline of animal populations.

This blog highlights conservation initiatives that harness cutting-edge wireless and positioning technology to monitor wildlife. Tracking animals’ whereabouts provides valuable information about their movement patterns, food sources, breeding cycles, and habitats. This data and its analysis help biologists, wildlife conservation NGOs, and governments adjust their conservation strategies, mitigate conflicts with human activities, identify new threats, and more.

Monitoring these animals is critical to ensuring a better future for them and our planet. Yet, those who track and monitor animals to better protect them face several challenges—challenges that require a practical solution more than anything.   

Many challenges, one digital solution to track and monitor wildlife

Monitoring an animal starts with attaching a tracking device to know its location and ensure the acquired data is regularly transmitted to the cloud or a portal for further analysis. As simple as it may sound, many obstacles must first be dodged for the tracker to function.

Whether a collar or a smaller monitoring device, a tracker should be noninvasive and lightweight to avoid interfering with the animal’s normal behavior. It should be extremely data-efficient to minimize expensive satellite connectivity costs, remain functional over vast territories, and transmit location data even from the most remote places on Earth. Additionally, it should consume very little battery power to last long and prevent costly replacements that stress the animal during capture.

The u-blox cloud-based positioning solution, which combines CloudLocate (a cloud-based positioning service) with compact M10 GNSS modules, effectively addresses these challenges.

This positioning solution is based on a satellite snapshot captured by the GNSS receiver, which is then uploaded to the cloud via satellite connectivity and resolved into a position by the CloudLocate service. It’s a natively compact solution, as trackers only require an integrated tiny GNSS receiver that doesn’t rely on land infrastructure (cellular towers), often scarce or nonexistent in remote and wild areas. Without the need for infrastructure, costs are also significantly reduced. Furthermore, the cloud-based positioning solution extensively reduces power consumption in various ways.

Sporadic battery use. In its sporadic tracking mode, the positioning solution can track animals a few times per day, week, or month.

Minimum battery consumption for each position. The GNSS receiver needs 3-10 seconds to capture a valid snapshot, thereby reducing GNSS power consumption by 70% compared to the standard working mode. The capture time remains consistent regardless of the tracking interval. With such a short capture time, users can quickly verify whether obtaining the animal’s exact position is possible, even underwater or underground.

Quantifying battery life. With other technologies it’s difficult to calculate how long a battery can last because, for instance, an animal lying on its side may cause the GPS and the satellite signals to time out. The cloud-based positioning solution can quantify battery life since each snapshot takes a similar amount of time. Even though there may be a lack of data and GPS position information to compute, this isn’t a problem because the GPS and the satellite would have timed out in any case.

No need for A-GNSS technology. The positioning solution doesn’t use any Assisted GNSS techniques, typically employed to minimize battery drain. Two main benefits of this approach are: 1) savings in data communication with the cloud and 2) compatibility with low-bandwidth connectivity that doesn’t support Assisted GNSS data exchange from the cloud to the device.

Offloading the positioning estimation to the cloud saves additional processing energy for the GNSS receiver.

Adaptability. Trackers can operate without using the GNSS receiver in standard mode; instead, they can use the cloud-based positioning solution to receive a position estimate in the cloud. With this method, trackers can provide positions four to ten times daily using CloudLocate snapshots. And when position information is required in the device, the GNSS receiver can be activated in the standard mode to determine the location. Satellite communication is then used as a connectivity network. This approach extends the battery life of the tracking devices to many years.

The cloud-based positioning solution for tracking and monitoring wildlife has already been successfully implemented around the globe. Here are three unique stories showcasing how u-blox’s tracking solution adapts to different needs, depending on the species and the ecosystem at stake.  

Cloud-based positioning technology in action

1. Adélie penguins in Antarctica

Scientists at Point Blue, an American wildlife conservation leader, are currently monitoring a colony of Adélie penguins on Ross Island in Antarctica. With the help of trackers developed by Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT), they can monitor and analyze the dispersal strategies and foraging behavior of juvenile penguins. This data helps them learn more about the differences in population size and growth dynamics associated with changes in sea ice.

Adélie penguins, considered an indicator species, help scientists evaluate changes in climate and the environment. By monitoring their moving patterns, researchers can assess any alteration in their marine ecosystem.

 Although cute, don’t let the image trick you into thinking that tracking Adélie penguins is easy. Actually, it’s far from simple. These good-looking girls and boys are small and fast swimmers, reaching 13 km/h speeds. To add more difficulty to the enterprise, consider that they spend most of their time underwater, making it extremely difficult to track them. These tracking devices must therefore be noninvasive, consume very little battery, and be data efficient.

2. Big cats and other species on the African continent

In South Africa, Jason Tarr (Wildlife ACT Innovations) develops wildlife tracking collars able to measure four parameters: altitude, activity, temperature, and location for a variety of animals, including pangolins, elephants, rhinoceros, lions, cheetahs, and wild dogs.  

Multiple companies and organizations leverage Wildlife ACT innovation’s expertise in wildlife tracking collars using u-blox's technology. With a presence in Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya, and South Africa, this company supports organizations such as WWF, national parks, and parks managed by African Parks and Peace Parks Foundation, as well as various private preserves. Another organization they support is Wildlife Act, which monitors priority endangered species on behalf of reserves, mainly in South Africa.

Pangolins are among the most trafficked mammals in the world. Tens of thousands of these harmless creatures are poached yearly for their meat and scales, with the scales being highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine. 

When pangolins rescued from poachers arrive at a reserve in poor condition, they must undergo an intensive release program. This ensures they acclimate to their new environment, start feeding, and gain weight. The program is necessary because pangolins' diets are based on specific types of ants and termites. They must move constantly to find those insects, which is why they can’t be kept in captivity, not even for short periods.

 In these cases, tracking devices become extremely useful. As part of the program, pangolins are initially released and monitored every night to ensure they are feeding and adapting to their new environment. As they acclimate to the area, observations become less frequent. They also begin to fend for themselves. Once released, the next step in the pangolin conservation program is to monitor their range use, so the tracking device remains in place. Eventually, the tracking devices are removed when pangolins are fully acclimated and have established a home range.  

With hourly GPS tracking using the cloud-based positioning solution, the pangolin tracker’s battery can last up to a month and a half on a full charge. Intermittent tracking is particularly effective for monitoring pangolins, which are secretive animals that spend half their lives underground in burrows.

As for wild cats and dogs, collars can be used in various ways.

Preventing genetic contamination. Genetics is critical in small South African reserves. Lions and wild dogs are regularly moved in and out, swapping between reserves. In such cases, a collar is needed to ensure that animals don’t try to return to their previous reserve. Once animals have settled in, the collars can be removed.

Avoiding runaways. In fenced reserves, tracking the position of wild cats and dogs is vital to prevent them from escaping. Reserves are typically surrounded by areas of high population density, and fences can be quite porous.

Sporadic battery use is critical in these cases. If a wild cat or dog escapes from a reserve, the device can be activated to locate and retrieve it. Typically, these devices provide four to six GPS positions per day. When it is determined that a particular species might potentially come into conflict with humans, the frequency of GPS transmissions can be increased to facilitate easier tracking. The CloudLocate functionality on these units can significantly extend battery life from 18 to 24 months on standard GPS functionality to up to four years when only using CloudLocate.

Keeping up with the slow pace. Tracking the position of a lion, cheetah, or wild dog is challenging mainly because of the time the animals stay without moving. A lion can lie on the ground for about 18 hours per day. In such a position, the collar on the back of the animal’s neck faces down, almost parallel to the ground. Tracking these positions continuously consumes much battery energy, so periodic snapshots are preferred. 

 3. Rhinos in South Africa

The final application focuses on the conservation of both black and white rhinos. Black rhinos, a critically endangered species, have seen their population dwindle to just a few thousand. Fortunately, ongoing conservation efforts have led to a gradual increase in the population. Still, the threat of poaching, which also affects white rhinos, continues to undermine conservation gains.  

In an interdisciplinary collaboration, biologists from the University of Neuchâtel and engineers from the School of Engineering and Management Vaud (HEIG-VD) have developed GNSS trackers’ electronics and IT systems to track rhino movements. The data collected allows researchers and park rangers to monitor rhino populations in a targeted manner.

“Digital conservation of an endangered species refers to using digital technology to aid species conservation,” says Jürgen Ehrensberger, Professor of Applied Sciences at HEIG-VD.

This research supports the Black Rhino Conservation Ecology Project, which involves several private and national parks in South Africa, including Ithala Game Reserve, the Munywana Conservancy, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and Kruger National Park.

The semi-spherical devices, shown in the picture below and more commonly known as horn pods, are mounted on rhinos' back horn stumps after their horns have been removed for anti-poaching purposes. These low-power tracking devices have a battery life of up to two to three years.  

Dehorning, the process of trimming the rhinos’ horns, has become a regular maintenance task for reserves and parks. The aim is to protect the animals from poachers by reducing the incentives for poaching. During dehorning campaigns, which can be either general or targeted, horn pods are fitted onto selected individuals.

The first version of the horn pods used LoRaWAN as the communication technology, which required the deployment of LoRaWAN gateways and towers within the reserves. The project has continued to evolve since then, although a simpler, cheaper, and more straightforward tracking technology has been tested in parallel over the past year.

The new GNSS trackers are equipped with tracking receivers supported by satellite technology (u-blox (CloudLocate + M10 GNSS receivers) and Astrocast). This alternative solution, easier to deploy as no infrastructure is required, with much better reception, and lower battery consumption, is currently in use in the Munywana Conservancy and Kruger National Park. It has allowed scientists to significantly increase the number of animals tracked. By the end of 2024, over 150 rhinos are expected to be equipped with trackable horn pods.

Biologists use the data to monitor and study different rhino populations, the primary objective being to improve management practices to increase rhino numbers, expand ranges, and enable species recovery. Specifically, tracking rhino locations can help assess individual home ranges and overlaps, habitat use, and allow for scientifically informed biological management actions.

The data is also valuable for operational reserve management, where monitoring is facilitated by integrated platforms such as Earth Ranger. For example, rangers can determine if a rhino is on the move or stationary and if the animal has breached the reserve’s perimeter. These tracking devices also allow tracking the movement of these animals in relation to other tracked species (such as elephants) or vehicles.

A new chapter for wildlife conservation

As we have shown, understanding animals’ whereabouts is essential for conservation efforts aimed at preventing the decline of many species on Earth.   

Like Sherlock and Watson (or, if you prefer a more updated version, Cormoran and Robin), the GNSS receiver and CloudLocate form a unique duo – a combination showing enormous potential to monitor wildlife almost anywhere, even in challenging ecosystems, from penguins in Antarctica to pangolins, wild cats and dogs, or rhinos in South Africa.     

In 2015, the United Nations (UN) launched a 15-year plan for sustainable development that includes 17 goals, some of which focus on protecting our planet’s species. As highlighted in this blog, one application of u-blox’s cloud-based positioning technology can help achieve Goals 14 and 15: the protection of life below water and life on land. We encourage the use of our technology for such projects and fully endorse initiatives that advance these goals.  

At u-blox, we are incredibly proud that our technology contributes to the sustainability and conservation of endangered species.

If you share our values and want to learn more about these projects, don’t hesitate to contact us.