WDFW to use data gathering GPS collars on animals
YAKIMA, Wash. — The Washington Department of Wildlife (WDFW) will capture and place GPS collars on aerial bighorn sheep, mule deer and mountain goats to gather data to monitor their activity for the next four years or so.
The department says the data will help wildlife crews understand “survival, movement, and habitat selection.” Each data collection will vary on species and location.
“GPS data allows us to study the impacts of a disease, like pneumonia in bighorn sheep, and ultimately help to identify management solutions,” said Kyle Garrison, WDFW ungulate section manager, in a press release. “The data also helps us learn how animals use a landscape, which informs habitat conservation efforts that are key to long-term population viability.”
For more information about how each species will be monitored, click here.
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