2015-04-14, Kays, Roland, Hirsch, Ben T.

NOTE: A corrected version of this dataset is available. See doi:10.5441/001/1.41076dq1 at datarepository.movebank.org/handle/10255/move.461. ABSTRACT: GPS tracking units have limited performance below thick vegetation, despite technological improvements, and will always perform better on animals in or above forest canopy.

2015-05-25, Kays, Roland, Hirsch, Ben T.

The study of musteloids requires different perspectives and techniques than those needed for most mammals. Musteloids are generally small yet travel long distances and many live or forage underground or under water, limiting the use of telemetry and direct observation. Some are arboreal and nocturnal, facilitating telemetry but limiting observation, trapping, and many non-invasive techniques. Large sexual size dimorphism arguably doubles sample sizes for many research questions. Many musteloids defend themselves by expelling noxious chemicals. This obscure group does not attract funding, even when endangered, further reducing rate of knowledge gain. Nonetheless, passive and active radio frequency identification tags, magnetic-inductance tracking, accelerometers, mini-biologgers and some GPS tags are tiny enough for use with small musteloids. Environmental DNA can document presence of animals rarely seen. These technologies, coupled with creative research design that is well-grounded on the scientific method, form a multi-dimensional approach for advancing our understanding of these charismatic minifauna.