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Rory Wilson has revolutionized research into the life of several wild species by developing new technological approaches to answer questions about animal behaviour.

Like a tiny black box flight recorder, Wilson’s device monitors an animal’s position, heading and speed to measure its acceleration. From this data, its energy expenditure can be estimated.

By equipping a badger with Wilson’s logging device, scientists can study its social behaviour and movement at night and underground, where the animal is difficult to track.

Living underground by day and foraging at night, the badger is a model species to test Wilson's device. The data would reveal the route, pace and behaviour of the wild animal, in effect creating a "daily diary" of its activity.

Weddell seals dive to depths of 500m to hunt their prey. Wilson’s logging device proves useful for the study of their behaviour in places where zoologists cannot directly observe them. Drescher Inlet, Antarctica, 2004.

Placed on a Lemon shark, Wilson’s logging device provides useful data about the fish’s little-known swimming patterns and behaviour in its natural environment. Bimini, Bahamas, 2006

Rory Wilson has been studying the dietary habits in the wild of the Magellanic penguin since 1990. His logging device now allows him to assess how much energy the bird uses to find food.

Wilson’s logging device contains a triaxial accelerometer and a compass that must be perfectly aligned to provide reliable data about an animal’s movement. Swansea, United Kingdom, 2006.

Rory Wilson (right) and a colleague calibrate a logging service. It includes a triaxial accelerometer and a compass that must be perfectly aligned to provide reliable data.

Wilson tested his new logging device on Moon, his border collie, before applying it on badgers in England, beavers in Norway, and imperial cormorants and armadillos in Argentina.

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Pioneering technology

English zoologist Rory Wilson is renowned for developing ingenious ways to track wild animals and record their behaviour without directly observing them. His latest invention, a lightweight electronic logger, can go where satellite-based tracking devices cannot, to observe free-living animals.

"This single concept can become a powerful tool to enable us to study and understand difficult animals and thus acquire the information necessary to safeguard their welfare.”

Wilson’s new logger harnesses the laws of physics to accurately estimate the energy expenditure of animals on land, at sea and in the air, and is set to revolutionize research into the behaviour of threatened species, and obtain precious data to help save them and their habitats.

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Project Location

Wales, United Kingdom
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Contact Information

Professor Rory Wilson
Institute of Environmental Sustainability
School of the Environment and Society
Swansea University
Singleton Park
Wales SA2 OTZ
United Kingdom

Tel: + 44 1792 295 376
r.p.wilson@swansea.ac.uk

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