Solar Powered Tags Could Help Save Sharks

Jan-03-14 In an effort to track the movements of sharks, researchers have turned to long-lasting, solar-powered tags able to beam location information to satellites.

Described as “a smartphone for marine animals,” the sensor-laden tags are being used to track certain endangered shark species in order to understand their migration patterns. Previous tags had relied on battery power to remain operative, but the sensors are able to gather huge amounts of data, and the batteries would often die before all the information could be transmitted.

Because most sharks do not stay long near the surface of the water (where the sunlight would power the solar devices) the tags are designed to run on batteries for about six months while gathering data, after which they will detach from the shark and float to the surface. The tags would then take advantage of the sunlight to power up and transmit the data to the satellite.

Image: barun patro

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[INHABITAT.COM]
[PHYS ORG]

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