BatLog: open-source passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag logger for wildlife behavioral studies

Area of Science:

• Animal behavior research
• Ecological monitoring
• Biologging technology

Background:

• Automated monitoring provides high-resolution animal activity data.
• Commercial individual tracking systems are often too expensive for many researchers.
• Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag systems are widely used but often lack individual identification in continuous datasets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce BatLog, a low-cost, open-source system for automated individual animal tracking.
• To enable the integration of individual identification into continuous behavioral datasets using existing PIT tag infrastructure.
• To provide a modular and adaptable solution for behavioral and ecological studies.

Main Methods:

• Developed BatLog using Arduino-compatible hardware, a modular design, and a dual-antenna configuration for directional detection.
• Integrated passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag technology for individual identification.
• Tested the system in a controlled laboratory setting, recording entry and exit events.

Main Results:

• The BatLog system successfully recorded 80,109 paired directional events across 27 individually identified bats.
• The system demonstrated cost-effectiveness at approximately $180 USD.
• The Arduino-compatible architecture allows for integration with additional sensors (temperature, humidity, accelerometers, acoustics).

Conclusions:

• BatLog offers an accessible solution for high-resolution, individual-based animal activity monitoring.
• The system is particularly effective in controlled environments with defined animal passageways.
• BatLog's modularity and sensor integration capabilities make it broadly applicable across various taxa and research questions.