Autonomous Collar Lets Wild Animals Track Themselves
A proof-of-concept GPS system fits collars on wildlife as they interact with baited units, avoiding the stress of physical capture.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Wildlife
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences developed an autonomous GPS collar system that lets wild animals fit tracking collars on themselves. The approach was published in BioScience as a proof-of-concept study.
Why it matters
Traditional telemetry requires capturing animals, which can cause severe stress and risk injury or death, and typically tracks only a handful of animals at a time. Capture-free methods could reduce these harms and allow larger monitoring studies.
The study was published in BioScience as a proof-of-concept, with demonstrations for red deer and red foxes and field trials with deer at the Norwegian Deer Centre. Collars adjust automatically to neck size and are designed to drop off after a few weeks or a couple of months.
The players
Bischof
A researcher who previously worked as a biologist in Nebraska and is seeking to further develop and test capture-free telemetry against capture-based methods.
Norwegian University of Life Sciences
The Norwegian institution where the autonomous GPS collar system was developed.
Norwegian Deer Centre
The site where field trials of the collar system with deer were conducted.
The details
Species-specific autonomous deployment units use bait to draw animals in, and the animals fit collars on themselves during normal interaction. The collars include built-in weak spots that allow separation if the animal experiences discomfort or entanglement.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Article published about the capture-free telemetry study in BioScience.
Legacy Methods
For six decades, wildlife researchers have depended on physically capturing animals to fit tracking devices, a practice that can alter behaviour and physiology. The capture-free approach represents a departure from that longstanding method, though it remains a proof-of-concept.
For the average person, this research signals a shift toward less invasive wildlife monitoring that could eventually yield better data on more animals. The collars are designed to drop off on their own, reducing the need for human recovery in the field.
The takeaway
Capture-free tracking could reduce stress and injury risks to wild animals while allowing researchers to monitor larger populations. Its practical value will depend on further testing against established capture-based methods.
What happens next
Bischof and colleagues plan to further develop and test capture-free telemetry against capture-based telemetry.
Further reading
Explore more on Wildlife to see how researchers track and study animals in their natural habitats.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dpaonthenet.
