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<\/p>\nThe tags, often equipped with AI, allow researchers to know not only the location of the animal, but also its weight, speed, temperature and calorie consumption. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe can read their behavior and even their interactions with other animals, which is incredibly important, for instance, for the spread of disease,\u201d Wikelski says. The advanced technology allows him to discern \u201cif a horse is running on grass or gravel, if a female bird is nesting, and whether a penguin in Antarctica is returning to his family with a full belly.\u201d He likens the system to \u201cfitbands for penguins, but they work much better than the ones available for humans.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the first species Wikelski\u2019s team of 40 researchers wants to focus on once the new satellite is up and running are African flying foxes \u2014 \u201cthe most important gardeners in Africa,\u201d according to Wikelski. \u201cThey fly over deserted areas nobody dares to visit right now, including in South Sudan or Burkina Faso, and drop seeds, reforesting the areas. We know now that their actions are incredibly important for the climate.\u201d<\/p>\n
This example illustrates some of the research ICARUS 2.0 can accomplish that was previously impossible, revealing how animals shape landscapes. \u201cUnbelievably exciting,\u201d Wikelski exclaims, his enthusiasm for his research infectious. He is convinced the costs will continue to plummet until tagging is affordable for most conservation groups. He envisions eventually not only tagging animals but also, for instance, fishing nets so ghost nets can be located and don\u2019t drift in the seas, where they would otherwise endanger innumerable fish and mammals.<\/p>\n
For him, tagging an animal requires weighing the benefits with the stress it causes the animals. \u201cIf they work for us, then we have to give them back so much that it\u2019s a net benefit for them,\u201d Wikelski explains. \u201cMaybe not for each single individual, but if we tag 100 stork and that enables us to save 10,000 storks from electrocution, that\u2019s a net benefit for the species.\u201d<\/p>\n
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