Using GPS Technology to Understand Spatial and Temporal Activity of Kangaroos in a Peri-Urban Environment
The increasing kangaroo occurrence in expanding peri-urban areas can be problematic when kangaroos become aggressive towards people and present a collision risk to motor vehicles. An improved understanding on kangaroo spatial and temporal activity patterns in the peri-urban environment is essential...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-06-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/6/97 |
| _version_ | 1818295444377174016 |
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| author | Timothy Henderson Karl Vernes Gerhard Körtner Rajanathan Rajaratnam |
| author_facet | Timothy Henderson Karl Vernes Gerhard Körtner Rajanathan Rajaratnam |
| author_sort | Timothy Henderson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing kangaroo occurrence in expanding peri-urban areas can be problematic when kangaroos become aggressive towards people and present a collision risk to motor vehicles. An improved understanding on kangaroo spatial and temporal activity patterns in the peri-urban environment is essential to manage kangaroo–human conflict. In this study, we used GPS telemetry to determine activity patterns of male Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in a peri-urban community on the north-coast of New South Wales, Australia. Two types of GPS devices were employed; collars and cheaper alternative glue-on units. Kangaroos moved on average 2.39 km a day, with an average movement rate of 1.89 m/min, which was greatest at dawn. The GPS glue-on devices had short deployment lengths of one to 12 days. Despite limitations in attachment time, the glue-on devices were viable in obtaining daily spatial and temporal activity data. Our results aid towards alleviating conflict with kangaroos by providing new insights into kangaroo movements and activity within a peri-urban environment and introduces a potential cheap GPS alternative for obtaining this data relative to more expensive collars. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:47:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ceb96a110733466bb4ba301611d5be6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:47:44Z |
| publishDate | 2018-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-ceb96a110733466bb4ba301611d5be6e2022-12-22T00:00:47ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152018-06-01869710.3390/ani8060097ani8060097Using GPS Technology to Understand Spatial and Temporal Activity of Kangaroos in a Peri-Urban EnvironmentTimothy Henderson0Karl Vernes1Gerhard Körtner2Rajanathan Rajaratnam3Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale NSW 2351, AustraliaEcosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale NSW 2351, AustraliaZoology, University of New England, Armidale NSW 2351, AustraliaGeography and Planning, University of New England, Armidale NSW 2351, AustraliaThe increasing kangaroo occurrence in expanding peri-urban areas can be problematic when kangaroos become aggressive towards people and present a collision risk to motor vehicles. An improved understanding on kangaroo spatial and temporal activity patterns in the peri-urban environment is essential to manage kangaroo–human conflict. In this study, we used GPS telemetry to determine activity patterns of male Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in a peri-urban community on the north-coast of New South Wales, Australia. Two types of GPS devices were employed; collars and cheaper alternative glue-on units. Kangaroos moved on average 2.39 km a day, with an average movement rate of 1.89 m/min, which was greatest at dawn. The GPS glue-on devices had short deployment lengths of one to 12 days. Despite limitations in attachment time, the glue-on devices were viable in obtaining daily spatial and temporal activity data. Our results aid towards alleviating conflict with kangaroos by providing new insights into kangaroo movements and activity within a peri-urban environment and introduces a potential cheap GPS alternative for obtaining this data relative to more expensive collars.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/6/97kangarooGPS telemetrymovement ecologyactivity patternperi-urban |
| spellingShingle | Timothy Henderson Karl Vernes Gerhard Körtner Rajanathan Rajaratnam Using GPS Technology to Understand Spatial and Temporal Activity of Kangaroos in a Peri-Urban Environment Animals kangaroo GPS telemetry movement ecology activity pattern peri-urban |
| title | Using GPS Technology to Understand Spatial and Temporal Activity of Kangaroos in a Peri-Urban Environment |
| title_full | Using GPS Technology to Understand Spatial and Temporal Activity of Kangaroos in a Peri-Urban Environment |
| title_fullStr | Using GPS Technology to Understand Spatial and Temporal Activity of Kangaroos in a Peri-Urban Environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using GPS Technology to Understand Spatial and Temporal Activity of Kangaroos in a Peri-Urban Environment |
| title_short | Using GPS Technology to Understand Spatial and Temporal Activity of Kangaroos in a Peri-Urban Environment |
| title_sort | using gps technology to understand spatial and temporal activity of kangaroos in a peri urban environment |
| topic | kangaroo GPS telemetry movement ecology activity pattern peri-urban |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/6/97 |
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