The K-Tracker
The K-Tracker is technology for wildlife – providing unprecedented access to the data that informs optimal project outcomes.
The Queensland-born technology is a major tool used in our work to monitor up to hundreds of koalas throughout the most critical phases of development or other intensive population health monitoring scenarios.
By monitoring koalas using both radio telemetry and GPS technology, we collate a wide range of information about animal movements to better understand how they use their habitat. These fully programmable tags can alert us to low activity readings indicating potential koala health issues, or koalas that have moved into unsafe locations that may require intervention.
The K-Tracker is attached with a small-medium mammal safe collar that is an adjustable release wildlife collar. It is designed to ensure welfare is at the forefront of koala monitoring, reducing rub lesions with its low-profile and smooth components and avoiding potentially fatal hang-ups by incorporating a weight-dependent break point. The safe collar has been custom-designed for koalas but can be tailored to other species, or alternatively, form-fit adaptations can be explored.
Koala Interaction
Tracks proximity between K-Tracker tags to identify events such as isolation, mating habits and territorial behaviour.
Joey Independence Monitoring
Alerts user to the separation of mother and joey by pairing the irrespective K-Tracker tags.
High-Risk Alert Zone
Predefined high-risk zones using geo-fencing to alert when a koala is in or approaching danger.
Dynamic Alert Zone
Using BLE sentinel mode to alert the user when a koala is near a dynamic high-risk zone such as a construction site or moving vehicle.
The K-Tracker’s monitoring capabilities can support feasibility studies and other wildlife monitoring needs, helping advance a wide range of projects through the provision of robust data. This technology is invaluable for projects aimed at mitigating human-wildlife conflict with species in critical need of solutions. Currently underway is a research program to investigate improved methods for tracking and monitoring other threatened species, such as estuarine crocodiles in Far North Queensland, to advance the knowledge of human-crocodile interactions.