Scientists will use smartphone technology to investigate … – BBC Brazil

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Image caption species population was reduced by 90% in certain areas

Scientists will use the same technology applied to smartphones to investigate the decline of the seal population in the archipelago of Orkney, off the coast of Scotland.

the Marine Mammal Research Unit at the University of St. Andrews will analyze for three years the data collected by means of telemetry tags.

These labels are attached to the hair on the back of the head of animals and, according to scientists, they are harmless and light and that will drop away after a while.

also applied to cars, cardiac monitoring equipment and other smart devices, the technology will be used to collect data on the behavior of seals, their habits and location, as well as information about their habitat.

the study was prepared at the request of the Scottish government and Scottish Natural Heritage, who are concerned about the survival of the species living in the regions of the country bays.

This is one of two species of UK seals, and its population was reduced by up to 90% in certain areas of the north and east coasts, including Orkney, from 2000.

“this exciting collaborative study is vital to help us understand what makes this population of seals living in the Scottish bays to change and re-evaluate the options for their conservation and management,” he says John Baxter, director of the Scottish Natural Heritage.

Bernie McConnell, the University of St. Andrews, adds that in assessing the causes of this decline, you can look for ways to mitigate it and “prioritize research that will be made on the subject in the future. “