Improving Attachments of Remotely-Deployed Dorsal Fin-Mounted Tags: Tissue Structure, Hydrodynamics, in situ Performance, and Tagged-Animal Follow-up

Andrews, Russel D.; Baird, Robin W.; Schorr, Gregory S.; Mittal, Rajat; Howle, Laurens E.; Hanson, M. B.

doi:10.21236/ada623460

Cited by 3 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…Humpback whales surface in a more arched position, typically only allowing for tag placement closer to the dorsal fin. Another determination factor for tag placement, which has been studied in dolphins but not yet for baleen whales, is selecting the ideal tag location based on tissue location, structure, and strength [28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The short 3-petal and long 6-petal Grade 4 titanium darts ( Fig. 2a, b) were manufactured by Wildlife Computers (Redmond, WA, USA) for the Low Impact Minimally Percutaneous External-electronics Transmitter (LIMPET) system, based on designs developed by Russ Andrews [20,21]. Implantable tags were designed to penetrate the fascia and muscle layers of the whale, opening up the possibility of bacterial transfer inside the body leading to inflammation and infection.…”

Section: Tag Attachment Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Testing tag attachments to increase the attachment duration of archival tags on baleen whales

2016

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Tag Attachment Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing tag attachments to increase the attachment duration of archival tags on baleen whales

2016

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“…The tag model that was used in our study has been deployed on 307 animals and 18 species, including killer whales, between 2006 and 2015 [6]. We focused on (male) killer whales because they represent an extreme example of potential variety in tag placement, due to the size of their dorsal fin.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The tags measured 54 × 46 × 20 mm ( Fig. 1a) and were surfacemounted with two sub-dermal 68-mm titanium anchors [6]. A 15-cm-long antenna of flexible material is mounted on the top of the tag (Fig.…”

Section: Tag and Instrumentation Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Satellite-linked tags must be placed strategically on the body of a marine mammal in order to maximize the antenna surface exposure while taking into account the animal's potential discomfort to the tag, its drag and the attachment method. In odontocetes, tags can be mounted onto or below the dorsal fin or on the dorsal ridge [6]. For some species, however, the large size of the dorsal fin allows for substantial inter-individual vertical variation in the placement of the tag.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Implications of tag positioning and performance on the analysis of cetacean movement

et al. 2019

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Background: Satellite-linked animal-borne tags enable the study of free-ranging marine mammals. These tags can only transmit data while their antenna is above the surface for a sufficient amount of time. Thus, the position of the tag on the animal's body will likely influence the quality and the quantity of location estimates. We explored the effects of tag placement and tag performance on the analysis of cetacean movement, by deploying two identical Argos tags 33 cm apart on the dorsal fin of a male killer whale in Norway in January 2017. Results: The highest placed (top tag) generated 540 location estimates, while the lowest placed tag (bottom tag) generated 245 locations. In addition, the top tag generated locations of higher quality, with less than 50% of the location estimates in Argos class B (the class with the highest estimated uncertainty), compared to the bottom tag (90% Argos class B locations). The distance between two reconstructed paths ranged from 81 m to 31 km. The path based on the top tag was 1.5 times longer, yielding a higher average speed and more extreme turning angles. The estimated uncertainty around the top track was smaller than that of the bottom track. Switches between searching and travelling behaviour, based on data from the top and the bottom tags, occurred at different positions and times. A significant relationship between core utilization areas and a simulated environmental variable was detectable at a finer spatial scale using data collected by the top tag compared to the bottom tag. A literature search yielded no evidence that tag performance or tag placement is commonly discussed in killer whale telemetry articles. Conclusions: The differences in quality and quantity of location estimates from our two tags had a substantial effect on derived movement metrics, behavioural inferences and significance of a simulated environmental variable. These differences in tag performance are likely linked to the height difference in tag placement of 33 cm. We suggest that tag positioning on free-ranging marine mammals and tag performance should be considered as a covariate in telemetry studies, especially at a fine scale.

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Best practice guidelines for cetacean tagging

Andrews¹,

Baird²,

Calambokidis³

et al. 2019

J. Cetacean Res. Manage.

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Animal-borne electronic instruments (tags) are valuable tools for collecting information on cetacean physiology, behaviour and ecology, and forenhancing conservation and management policies for cetacean populations. Tags allow researchers to track the movement patterns, habitat use andother aspects of the behaviour of animals that are otherwise difficult to observe. They can even be used to monitor the physiology of a taggedanimal within its changing environment. Such tags are ideal for identifying and predicting responses to anthropogenic threats, thus facilitating thedevelopment of robust mitigation measures. With the increasing need for data best provided by tagging and the increasing availability of tags, suchresearch is becoming more common. Tagging can, however, pose risks to the health and welfare of cetaceans and to personnel involved in taggingoperations. Here we provide ‘best practice’ recommendations for cetacean tag design, deployment and follow-up assessment of tagged individuals,compiled by biologists and veterinarians with significant experience in cetacean tagging. This paper is intended to serve as a resource to assist tagusers, veterinarians, ethics committees and regulatory agency staff in the implementation of high standards of practice, and to promote the trainingof specialists in this area. Standardised terminology for describing tag design and illustrations of tag types and attachment sites are provided, alongwith protocols for tag testing and deployment (both remote and through capture-release), including training of operators. The recommendationsemphasise the importance of ensuring that tagging is ethically and scientifically justified for a particular project and that tagging only be used toaddress bona fide research or conservation questions that are best addressed with tagging, as supported by an exploration of alternative methods.Recommendations are provided for minimising effects on individual animals (e.g. through careful selection of the individual, tag design and implantsterilisation) and for improving knowledge of tagging effects on cetaceans through increased post-tagging monitoring.

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Improving Attachments of Remotely-Deployed Dorsal Fin-Mounted Tags: Tissue Structure, Hydrodynamics, in situ Performance, and Tagged-Animal Follow-up

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

Testing tag attachments to increase the attachment duration of archival tags on baleen whales

Testing tag attachments to increase the attachment duration of archival tags on baleen whales

Implications of tag positioning and performance on the analysis of cetacean movement

Best practice guidelines for cetacean tagging

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