Feasibility of a commercial location information system with GPS mobile phones on raccoons

Abstract

We tested stationary GPS mobile phones (FOMA terminals) and attached them to wild raccoons with collars and extra battery packs. The collar systems weigh 215g and 300 g with VHF transmitter. The successful communication rate for data transport was 99.5[long dash]100%, and the mean error was 12.0[long dash]16.5m in stationary tests (n=3). In the application to wild raccoons (n=7), the mean life time of the battery packs, when fully charged, was 25.3 days, which was shorter than theoretically calculated. There was a signif- icant difference in successful communication rates between nighttime (59.9%) and daytime (38.0%). Because the raccoons are usually nocturnal, it is probable that they rest in shelters, such as tree hollows, earth hollows, and attics, during the daytime, and therefore the mobile phones are out of the range of communication. However, the successful communication rate during the nighttime was also lower than that in our stationary tests. There is a possibility that the radio status of the mobile phone system is unstable at the height of the raccoon's neck, near ground level.