What Is Telemetry?

Telemetry is the science and technology of measuring things remotely that allows information to be obtained by a wire, radio, satellite, data recorder or other device such as a tag.

Researchers use telemetry tags to study animal behavior, functions, and their environment. Tags use sensors such as pressure and temperature sensors to monitor animals and the environment. Tags can store or archive information from the sensors or they can send or transmit information to a satellite or handheld receiving device. Tags store or send many types of information or data.

For marine animals such as seals and sea lions, tags can tell scientists about the animal’s body temperature, depth they dive to in the ocean, swimming speed, flipper movements, and location.

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Researchers place tags outside or inside the body of an animal. Steller sea lion with external tag (Left), X-ray of Steller sea lion with internal tag (R). Note the coiled antenna and battery are visible on the x-ray.