Telemetry
This chapter discusses telemetry, which is a process of obtaining data remotely, by transmitting information from a marine mammal or by storing it for later retrieval. The field of telemetry includes a number of research approaches, from simple radio tags that allow researchers to relocate a tagged animal, to complex systems that record and transmit data from multiple environmental sensors. There are two primary approaches to collect data with telemetry systems. In the first approach, an archival data logger is attached to a marine mammal; records data for a predetermined period, and then it is recovered, allowing researchers to download the information stored in the package. In the second approach, information is transmitted from a marine mammal via radio or acoustic signals. Advances in the field of telemetry have revolutionized our view of marine mammals. Telemetry allows peering into the lives of whales, dolphins, sirenians, and pinnipeds as they go about their daily activities of feeding, finding mates, and avoiding predators. © 2009 Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
