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Animals
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Applications of Accelerometers and Other Bio-Logging Devices in Captive and...
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Applications of Accelerometers and Other Bio-Logging Devices in Captive and Wild Animals

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Wildlife".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2022) | Viewed by 21402

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marco Campera

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
Interests: conservation; agroforestry; bio-loggers; biodiversity; translocations; animal behaviour; ecosystem services
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marianna Chimienti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, 405 Route de Prissé la Charrière, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
Interests: movement ecology; accelerometers; statistical modelling; hidden Markov models; machine learning; conservation biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Anna Nekaris

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Anthropology and Primate Conservation, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
Interests: animal welfare; mammal conservation; nocturnal animals; spatial ecology; density and distribution of mammals; feeding ecology; home range; illegal wildlife trade; taxonomy; conservation education; bioacoustics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Bio-logging devices have been widely used in ecology in a large range of species to acquire information on the secret lives of animals in the wild, which would be challenging to obtain otherwise via direct observation. Data obtained from bio-logging devices on animals both in captivity and in the wild have been used to assess several aspects of animal biology and physiology, with different applications including estimating activity patterns, habitat use, energy expenditure, body temperature, and sleep. Devices have also rapidly developed in recent years in terms of reduced size, increased battery life, number of sensors included, and type of data that can be concurrently recorded. Tiny devices now allow extensive data collection even on small animals.

We here launch a Special Issue on the applications of accelerometers and other bio-logging devices deployed on both captive and wild animals. We welcome original papers regarding all aspects of research using bio-logging devices, including but not limited to new analytical techniques, behavioral validation, physiology, energy expenditure, sleep, movement ecology, and community ecology. The Guest Editors can be contacted for questions and suggestions on the suitability of the manuscripts you intend to submit.

Dr. Marco Campera
Prof. Dr. Anna Nekaris
Dr. Marianna Chimienti
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bio-logging
  • accelerometers
  • movement ecology
  • energy expenditure
  • sleep
  • body temperature
  • conservation
  • captive management

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 195 KiB  
Editorial
Applications of Accelerometers and Other Bio-Logging Devices in Captive and Wild Animals
by Marco Campera, Marianna Chimienti and K. A. I. Nekaris
Animals 2023, 13(2), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13020222 - 6 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1655
Abstract
Bio-logging devices have been widely used in ecology across a range of species to acquire information on the secret lives of animals in the wild, which would otherwise be challenging to obtain via direct observations [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Accelerometers and Other Bio-Logging Devices in Captive and Wild Animals)

Research

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19 pages, 2551 KiB  
Article
Video Validation of Tri-Axial Accelerometer for Monitoring Zoo-Housed Tamandua tetradactyla Activity Patterns in Response to Changes in Husbandry Conditions
by Sofía Pavese, Carlos Centeno, Lorenzo Von Fersen, Gabina V. Eguizábal, Luis Donet, Camila J. Asencio, Daniel P. Villarreal and Juan Manuel Busso
Animals 2022, 12(19), 2516; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12192516 - 21 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2125
Abstract
Accelerometers are a technology that is increasingly used in the evaluation of animal behaviour. A tri-axial accelerometer attached to a vest was used on Tamandua tetradactyla individuals (n = 10) at Biodiversity Park. First, the influence of using a vest on the animals’ [...] Read more.
Accelerometers are a technology that is increasingly used in the evaluation of animal behaviour. A tri-axial accelerometer attached to a vest was used on Tamandua tetradactyla individuals (n = 10) at Biodiversity Park. First, the influence of using a vest on the animals’ behaviour was evaluated (ABA-type: A1 and A2, without a vest; B, with a vest; each stage lasted 24 h), and no changes were detected. Second, their behaviour was monitored using videos and the accelerometer simultaneously (experimental room, 20 min). The observed behaviours were correlated with the accelerometer data, and summary measures (X, Y and Z axes) were obtained. Additionally, the overall dynamic body acceleration was calculated, determining a threshold to discriminate activity/inactivity events (variance = 0.0055). Then, based on a 24 h complementary test (video sampling every 5 min), the sensitivity (85.91%) and precision (100%) of the accelerometer were assessed. Animals were exposed to an ABA-type experimental design: A1 and A2: complex enclosure; B: decreased complexity (each stage lasted 24 h). An increase in total activity (%) was revealed using the accelerometer (26.15 ± 1.50, 29.29 ± 2.25, and 35.36 ± 3.15, respectively). Similar activity levels were detected using video analysis. The results demonstrate that the use of the accelerometer is reliable to determine the activity. Considering that the zoo-housed lesser anteaters exhibit a cathemeral activity pattern, this study contributes to easily monitoring their activities and responses to different management procedures supporting welfare programs, as well as ex situ conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Accelerometers and Other Bio-Logging Devices in Captive and Wild Animals)
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16 pages, 5576 KiB  
Article
Gait Analysis in Walking and Trotting Dairy Cows on Different Flooring Types with Novel Mobile Pressure Sensors and Inertial Sensors
by Daniela Fischer, Luise I. G. Friebel, Sarah Grund, William Winter, Franziska C. Wagner and Christoph K. W. Mülling
Animals 2022, 12(18), 2457; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12182457 - 16 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3161
Abstract
Mechanical overburdening is a major risk factor that provokes non-infectious claw diseases. Moreover, lameness-causing lesions often remain undetected and untreated. Therefore, prevention of claw tissue overburdening is of interest, especially by analyzing harmful effects within dairy cows’ housing environment. However, objective “on-cow” methods [...] Read more.
Mechanical overburdening is a major risk factor that provokes non-infectious claw diseases. Moreover, lameness-causing lesions often remain undetected and untreated. Therefore, prevention of claw tissue overburdening is of interest, especially by analyzing harmful effects within dairy cows’ housing environment. However, objective “on-cow” methods for bovine gait analysis are underdeveloped. The purpose of the study was to apply an innovative mobile pressure sensor system attached at the claws to perform pedobarometric gait analysis. A further goal was the supplementation with accelerative data, generated simultaneously by use of two inertial measurement units (IMUs), attached at metatarsal level. IMU data were analyzed with an automatic step detection algorithm. Gait analysis was performed in ten dairy cows, walking and trotting on concrete flooring and rubber mats. In addition to the basic applicability of the sensor systems and with the aid of the automatic step detection algorithm for gait analysis in cows, we were able to determine the impact of the gait and flooring type on kinematic and kinetic parameters. For pressure sensor output, concrete was associated with significantly (p < 0.001) higher maximum and average pressure values and a significantly smaller contact area, compared to rubber mats. In contrast to walking, trotting led to a significantly higher force, especially under the medial claw. Further, IMU-derived parameters were significantly influenced by the gait. The described sensor systems are useful tools for detailed gait analysis in dairy cows. They allow the investigation of factors which may affect claw health negatively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Accelerometers and Other Bio-Logging Devices in Captive and Wild Animals)
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14 pages, 2600 KiB  
Article
Estimation of the Maternal Investment of Sea Turtles by Automatic Identification of Nesting Behavior and Number of Eggs Laid from a Tri-Axial Accelerometer
by Lorène Jeantet, Vadym Hadetskyi, Vincent Vigon, François Korysko, Nicolas Paranthoen and Damien Chevallier
Animals 2022, 12(4), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12040520 - 20 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3419
Abstract
Monitoring reproductive outputs of sea turtles is difficult, as it requires a large number of observers patrolling extended beaches every night throughout the breeding season with the risk of missing nesting individuals. We introduce the first automatic method to remotely record the reproductive [...] Read more.
Monitoring reproductive outputs of sea turtles is difficult, as it requires a large number of observers patrolling extended beaches every night throughout the breeding season with the risk of missing nesting individuals. We introduce the first automatic method to remotely record the reproductive outputs of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) using accelerometers. First, we trained a fully convolutional neural network, the V-net, to automatically identify the six behaviors shown during nesting. With an accuracy of 0.95, the V-net succeeded in detecting the Egg laying process with a precision of 0.97. Then, we estimated the number of laid eggs from the predicted Egg laying sequence and obtained the outputs with a mean relative error of 7% compared to the observed numbers in the field. Based on deployment of non-invasive and miniature loggers, the proposed method should help researchers monitor nesting sea turtle populations. Furthermore, its use can be coupled with the deployment of accelerometers at sea during the intra-nesting period, from which behaviors can also be estimated. The knowledge of the behavior of sea turtle on land and at sea during the entire reproduction period is essential to improve our knowledge of this threatened species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Accelerometers and Other Bio-Logging Devices in Captive and Wild Animals)
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12 pages, 1742 KiB  
Article
Training in the Dark: Using Target Training for Non-Invasive Application and Validation of Accelerometer Devices for an Endangered Primate (Nycticebus bengalensis)
by K. Anne-Isola Nekaris, Marco Campera, Marianna Chimienti, Carly Murray, Michela Balestri and Zak Showell
Animals 2022, 12(4), 411; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12040411 - 9 Feb 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3253
Abstract
Accelerometers offer unique opportunities to study the behaviour of cryptic animals but require validation to show their accuracy in identifying behaviours. This validation is often undertaken in captivity before use in the wild. While zoos provide important opportunities for trial field techniques, they [...] Read more.
Accelerometers offer unique opportunities to study the behaviour of cryptic animals but require validation to show their accuracy in identifying behaviours. This validation is often undertaken in captivity before use in the wild. While zoos provide important opportunities for trial field techniques, they must consider the welfare and health of the individuals in their care and researchers must opt for the least invasive techniques. We used positive reinforcement training to attach and detach a collar with an accelerometer to an individual Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) at the Shaldon Wildlife Trust, U.K. This allowed us to collect accelerometer data at different periods between January–June 2020 and January–February 2021, totalling 42 h of data with corresponding video for validation. Of these data, we selected 54 min where ten behaviours were present and ran a random forest model. We needed 39 15-min sessions to train the animal to wear/remove the collar. The accelerometer data had an accuracy of 80.7 ± SD 9.9% in predicting the behaviours, with 99.8% accuracy in predicting resting, and a lower accuracy (but still >75% for all of them apart from suspensory walk) for the different types of locomotion and feeding behaviours. This training and validation technique can be used in similar species and shows the importance of working with zoos for in situ conservation (e.g., validation of field techniques). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Accelerometers and Other Bio-Logging Devices in Captive and Wild Animals)
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17 pages, 7125 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Racing Greyhound Path Following Dynamics Using a Tracking System
by David Eager, Imam Hossain, Karlos Ishac and Scott Robins
Animals 2021, 11(9), 2687; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092687 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5313
Abstract
The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has been working closely with the Australasian greyhound industry for more than 5 years to reduce greyhound race-related injuries. During this period, UTS has developed and deployed several different techniques including inertial measurement units, drones, high-frame-rate cameras, [...] Read more.
The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has been working closely with the Australasian greyhound industry for more than 5 years to reduce greyhound race-related injuries. During this period, UTS has developed and deployed several different techniques including inertial measurement units, drones, high-frame-rate cameras, track geometric surveys, paw print analysis, track soil spring-force analysis, track maintenance data, race injury data, race computer simulation and modelling to assist in this task. During the period where the UTS recommendations have been adopted, the injury rate has dropped significantly. This has been achieved by animal welfare interventions that lower racing congestion, and lower transient forces and jerk rates the greyhounds experience during a race. This study investigated the use of a greyhound location tracing system where small and lightweight signal emitting devices were placed inside a pocket in the jackets of racing greyhounds. The system deployed an enhanced version of a player tracking system currently used to track the motion of human athletes. Greyhounds gallop at speeds of almost 20 m/s and are known to change their heading direction to exceed a yaw rate of 0.4 rad/s. The high magnitudes of velocity, acceleration and jerk posed significant technical challenges, as the greyhounds pushed the human tracking system beyond its original design limits. Clean race data gathered over a six-month period were analysed and presented for a typical 2-turn greyhound racing track. The data confirmed that on average, greyhounds ran along a path that resulted in the least energy wastage, which includes smooth non-linear paths that resemble easement curves at the transition between the straights to the semi-circular bends. This study also verified that the maximum jerk levels greyhounds experienced while racing were lower than the jerk levels that had been predicted with simulations and modelling for the track path. Furthermore, the results from this study show the possibility of such a systems deployment in data gathering in similar settings to greyhound racing such as thoroughbred and harness horse racing for understanding biomechanical kinematic performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Accelerometers and Other Bio-Logging Devices in Captive and Wild Animals)
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