Uncontrolled field performance of Televilt GPS-Simplex™ collars on grizzly bears in western and northern Canada

Abstract

Commercially available telemetry collars for wildlife that employ Global Positioning System (GPS) devices generally have the ability to gather a large volume of precise location data. We appraised the performance of 12-channel Televilt GPS-SimplexTM collars (Televilt/TVP Positioning AB, Lindesberg, Sweden) deployed across western and northern Canada on grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). Of 71 collar deployments between 2000 and 2002, 38 were retrieved and performed according to their programmed schedule, 20 were retrieved and had some degree of failure, and 13 experienced catastrophic failures and were not retrieved. In addition to these deployments, 10 collars failed predeployment. GPS collar fix success rates were greater for the retrieved collars from the Northwest Territories than for the 4 study areas in British Columbia and Alberta (F4, 50 = 10.82, P < 0.001); thus, the latter areas were grouped for further analyses. Collar fix success rates in the British Columbia and Alberta study areas differed between the retrieved collars that functioned normally (x̄ = 65%, SE = 2.3, n = 28) and collars retrieved with failure events (x̄ = 56%, SE = 4.3, n = 17; t43 = 2.09, P = 0.043). Fix success rates were lower the longer collars were in the field (rs = −0.35, n = 45, P = 0.020). Locations from the GPS collars had a mean dilution of precision of <4 for 2D and 3D locations and thus had a good degree of precision. We were satisfied with the volume and quality of the location data; however, we advise other researchers that significant time and money may be lost troubleshooting problems with the Televilt Simplex system. Other recommendations for future and current users are considered.