Taking the time to assess the effects of remote sensing and tracking devices on animals

The remote monitoring of animal behaviour using telemetry and bio-logging has become popular due to technological advances, falling costs of devices and the need to understand behaviour without causing disturbance to subjects. Over the past three decades thousands of animals have had their movements tracked by these devices; however, attaching devices to streamlined bodies raises concerns about energetic costs and effects on vital rates and the reliability of the data collected (eg survival probability). We encourage researchers to discuss concerns, quantify the possible effects that devices and attachment methods have on subjects and present this work for peer review. � 2011 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare.