Abstract
Telemetry provides researchers with invaluable data and has contributed to the progress of animal ecology and behavioral studies. However, the impact of biotelemetry devices on animal behavior and welfare has been evaluated in a few species. The telemetry device (GPS or VHF) is attached to a harness made especially for giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) due to its particular anatomy, and this is the best way to access the scheduled spatiotemporal data of the species’ movement. We evaluated the adverse effects of biotelemetry devices on giant anteaters’ behavior and welfare. Behavioral analysis on giant anteaters in captivity (n = 3) was conducted by observing them with and without the GPS-harness. We also include data on GPS-harness dysfunction and animal injuries observed from free-ranging tagged animals (n=74). The GPS-harness influenced the behavior distributions frequency, but no new or atypical act was verified. Free-ranging individuals detached the harness twice, five removed the front part of the harness, and three had skin injuries . This is the first study to document telemetry device effects on giant anteaters. To date, severe adverse effects of harness-attached GPS tracking devices were not reported for this species. Our data supports the continued use of this method for monitoring free-ranging or captive giant anteaters. However, we recommend and stress the importance of continued research that helps improve telemetry and monitoring techniques.
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Availability of data and materials
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the sponsors of the Anteaters & Highways Project, especially the Fondation Segré, as well as partner zoos (http://www.giantanteater.org/supporters) and the Ministério Público do Meio Ambiente de Minas Gerais—MPMG. Special thanks to the staff and the numerous project volunteers that collaborated with the team in monitoring the animals; including the volunteers that helped with the behavioral observations (Ana Gabriela Chacur Magnino, Ana Vitória de Freitas Machado Silva, Filipe Silva de Oliveira, Yasminn Oliveira Machado). We also thank the Pantanal and Cerrado ranchers that allowed ICAS to capture the giant anteaters on their private lands and the ones from Uberlândia that built rehabilitation areas for the TamanduASAS project. We also thank Tim Tetzlaff for the photo.
Funding
A.B. is funded by the PNPD (Programa Nacional de Pós‐Doutorado, in Portuguese) at the Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG).
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A.B., J.M.M.S., and A.L.J.D, conceived and designed this study, A.B, D.C., J.MM.S.., V.G.C., and G.L.A. performed the behavioral observations and analysis, A.L.J.D, D.R.Y., and D.K. gathered data on wild giant anteaters, A.B., D.C.and D.R.Y. drafted the manuscript. All authors provided input and approved the final version of this manuscript.
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The captures and monitoring/rehabilitation were authorized by the State Forestry Institute of Minas Gerais (SFI): #0055/2018/CETAS BH-MG, 022.11.2018 IEF-URT, 022.17.2019 IEF-URT and also license from the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (SISBIO 68635–5 and 53798–10) for field monitoring and rehabilitation, respectively.
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Bertassoni, A., Caixeta-Oliveira, D., Macedo Magnino Silva, J. et al. Do telemetry harnesses affect giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) behavior and welfare?. Eur J Wildl Res 68, 40 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-022-01587-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-022-01587-6