Animals equipped with tracking devices in various habitats.

Decoding Animal Behavior: How Biologging and Remote Sensing Are Changing Wildlife Studies

Theo Raines in Science & Nature June 2025 • 3 min read.

"Unlocking the secrets of the animal kingdom through advanced technology: a deep dive into biologging and remote sensing techniques."

For decades, understanding the intricate behaviors of animals in their natural habitats remained a formidable challenge. Traditional observation methods often proved inadequate due to the elusive nature of many species and the limitations of human presence. However, thanks to rapid advancements in technology, a new era of wildlife research has dawned.

Biologging and remote sensing technologies have emerged as powerful tools, enabling scientists to collect unprecedented amounts of high-quality data on animal movements, interactions, and physiology. These technologies, ranging from GPS trackers to accelerometers and camera traps, provide invaluable insights into the lives of creatures great and small.

This article delves into the fascinating world of biologging and remote sensing, exploring how these innovative techniques are revolutionizing the study of animal behavior. We will examine various types of loggers and sensors, discuss their applications in different research areas, and highlight best practices for data collection and analysis.

What are Biologging and Remote Sensing?

Animals equipped with tracking devices in various habitats.

At its core, biologging involves attaching miniaturized tags to animals to record and relay data about their movements, behavior, physiology, or environment. These tags can either directly acquire information (e.g., accelerometers measuring activity levels) or emit a signal that requires a remote sensor for interpretation (e.g., GPS trackers).

Remote sensing, on the other hand, refers to acquiring information about an object or phenomenon without direct contact. In wildlife research, remote sensors such as camera traps and acoustic recorders capture data on untagged animals or transform signals from animal-borne tags into usable information.

Biologging: Attaching tags to animals to record data about their movements and behavior.
Remote Sensing: Using sensors to gather information about animals from a distance.
Telemetry: A specific case of remote sensing that involves tracking signals emitted by animal-borne tags.

While satellite remote sensing provides valuable environmental data, this article primarily focuses on biologging techniques and remote sensing methods directly applied to animal monitoring.

Why Biologging and Remote Sensing Matter?

The data derived from biologging and remote sensing are instrumental in addressing diverse themes within behavioral ecology, offering quantitative assessments of animal behavior. These technologies are particularly valuable for monitoring species that are rare, cryptic, nocturnal, or inhabit inaccessible environments. By shifting the point of observation from the researcher to the animal, biologging minimizes disturbance and provides a more natural view of behavior.

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Everything You Need To Know

What exactly are biologging and remote sensing, and how do they differ in studying animal behavior?

Biologging involves attaching small tags to animals to record and transmit data about their movements, behavior, physiology, or environment. These tags can gather information directly, like accelerometers measuring activity levels, or emit signals that require a remote sensor for interpretation, such as GPS trackers. Remote sensing, conversely, acquires information about an object or phenomenon without direct contact. In wildlife research, remote sensors like camera traps and acoustic recorders capture data on untagged animals or transform signals from animal-borne tags into usable information. Biologging focuses on the animal-attached technology, while remote sensing observes from a distance, often complementing the data collected via biologging.

Why is data derived from biologging and remote sensing so important in behavioral ecology?

Data from biologging and remote sensing is crucial because it offers quantitative assessments of animal behavior. These technologies are especially valuable for studying rare, cryptic, nocturnal, or inaccessible species. By shifting the observation point to the animal itself, biologging reduces disturbance and provides a more natural and detailed view of behavior that traditional methods might miss. It allows continuous, long-term monitoring which provides insights into behavioral patterns and ecological interactions that were previously impossible to obtain.

How does telemetry relate to remote sensing in the context of wildlife research?

Telemetry, a specific case of remote sensing, involves tracking signals emitted by animal-borne tags. While both are related to observing from a distance, remote sensing is broader, including methods like camera traps that don't necessarily rely on signals from tagged animals. Satellite remote sensing provides valuable environmental data which is related but is not the focus of this particular work, which zeroes in on biologging techniques and remote sensing methods applied directly to animal monitoring.

What are some specific examples of loggers and sensors used in biologging and remote sensing, and what kind of data do they provide?

Several types of loggers and sensors are used. GPS trackers help monitor movement patterns. Accelerometers measure activity levels and energy expenditure. Camera traps capture visual data of animal behavior and presence, and acoustic recorders capture audio data, useful for studying vocalizations and environmental sounds. These tools offer different data types that can be combined to provide a comprehensive understanding of animal behavior and ecology.

What are some of the limitations and challenges associated with using biologging and remote sensing technologies in wildlife studies?

While biologging and remote sensing offer unparalleled access to animal behavior, potential challenges include the ethical considerations of attaching devices to animals, ensuring the technology does not negatively impact their well-being or behavior. Data analysis can be complex and require interdisciplinary expertise to interpret the large datasets generated. Also, the cost of the equipment and deployment can be a limiting factor, especially for long-term studies or when working with multiple animals or species. Addressing these limitations is crucial for maximizing the benefits of these technologies while minimizing potential drawbacks.