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WildWID: An open‐source active RFID system for wildlife research
Author(s) -
Rafiq Kasim,
Appleby Rob G.,
Edgar Jason P.,
Radford Cameron,
Smith Bradley P.,
Jordan Neil R.,
Dexter Cathryn E.,
Jones Darryl N.,
Blacker Amy R. F.,
Cochrane Matthew
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
methods in ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.425
H-Index - 105
ISSN - 2041-210X
DOI - 10.1111/2041-210x.13651
Subject(s) - wildlife , radio frequency identification , identification (biology) , phascolarctos cinereus , computer science , telemetry , citizen science , data science , transponder (aeronautics) , telecommunications , ecology , computer security , geography , biology , population , botany , demography , sociology , meteorology
Radio‐frequency identification (RFID) tags represent some of the smallest animal‐borne technologies available. They are frequently used for understanding fine‐scale associations between animals and their environments. However, currently available devices are often prohibitively expensive or difficult to customise. We present ‘WildWID’, an open‐source radio‐frequency identification system that can be used for detecting encounters between tags and loggers and/or integrated into more advanced experimental set‐ups for triggering audio or visual playbacks following the detection of RFID tag codes. WildWID systems can be made using commercially available components (costing ~$20 USD for tags and ~$60 for loggers) and can be customised to fit project and species‐specific needs. WildWID tags have been deployed on a range of species including koalas Phascolarctos cinereus , lions Panthera leo and shy albatross Thalassarche cauta for a range of research topics, including the assessment of road‐crossing structures and species' responses to intraspecific competitors. WildWID is a cost‐effective RFID system that can increase the accessibility of this technology for a wider range of researchers and study questions. Its use provides researchers with opportunities to mitigate ethical concerns, for example, by customising systems for species‐specific conditions, and its customisability extends the range of applications where RFID systems can be used by field biologists.