The animal kingdom and technology — they certainly seem like polar opposites. What kind of a sci-fi world would we live in if wild animals started texting and our pets started MapQuesting themselves? Looks like we’re about to find out.
New developments in technology are emerging with the intention of understanding animal life so that we can better protect and serve its needs. In a planet whose natural habitats are rapidly being developed by humans, one in which birds are seen as burdens to our modern human demands, the possibilities of high-tech allies may very well serve their survival.
One example: Scientists have long sought to track migratory patterns of birds in flight. You’re surely familiar with tagged hawks and eagles, little metal bracelets around their wrists. New developments, however, present a whole new ballgame, with sensors giving a detailed map of bird flight paths and habitats — and the effects that climate change may have on their species’ survival. Even owls are making mobile phone calls, more or less, to keep biologists up to speed.
Let’s step out of the wild for a moment and look in our own backyards. What about keeping tabs on man’s best friend? My parents’ dog has a bulky “shock” collar that keeps it from running in the street and meeting a roadside fate. The shock factor may freak out some animal lovers, but the Pavlovian lesson, quickly learned, may save a puppy from traffic dangers. Designers are taking it to the next level, however, by creating collars with built-in GPS devices that keep a virtual eye on your animal — where it ran off to, how much exercise it’s getting, even who it’s new playmates are. That’s right: Social Networking in Fur allows you to exchange contact information with other pet owners whose animal may have taken a shine to your dog.
Why stop at birds and dogs when you can throw a collar on, say, an African elephant? Kenyan farmers are taking it to the next level, tagging elephants that pose risks to farmers crops and livelihoods. Rather than kill or injure an elephant wrecking havoc on farms, scientists are fitting them with devices that send text messages to researchers monitoring their movements. Warnings let biologists know if the majestic creatures are wandering beyond their conservancy borders and onto unwelcoming turf. They can then hustle the animals back to secure ground and keep them from becoming enemies to civilians. Sheep herders in Iceland are following suit. Koalas are making cell calls, powered by car batteries and solar energy, thereby tracking signs of population disturbances. Seals are sending SMS messages, assuring scientists of safe passage. The list goes on and on …
Some of this would seem creepy if the intentions weren’t so damn good. The devil’s advocate might argue that humans should steer clear of interfering with animal life and its natural evolutionary ebbs and flows. (Thank you, Darwin.) The obvious answer to this is that we are the ones who set the path of destruction in the first place, and it is our responsibility to balance out the damage. Ironically, technology and progress, frequently the causes of endangerment, may now be used as tools for protection.
It’s yet to be seen if elephants can text their way to a better life or puppies can remotely communicate their way to bustling canine social lives. It’s certainly a new age, however, and anything is possible.