Aims and scope

Animal Biotelemetry is an open access peer-reviewed journal that publishes the results of studies utilizing telemetric techniques (including biologgers) to understand physiological, behavioural, and ecological mechanisms in a broad range of environments (e.g. terrestrial, freshwater and marine) and taxa. The journal also welcomes descriptions and validations of newly developed tagging techniques and tracking technologies, as well as methods for analyzing telemetric data.

Special Issue on Advances in Applied Biotelemetry
Submission Date: 2026-02-09

The Advances in Applied Biotelemetry collection will focus on the role of biotelemetry in addressing “real world” challenges by providing actionable insights for conservation, resources management, avi-, agri- and mariculture, animal husbandry and welfare. The following is a list of possible general topics and suggestions, but all suitable papers presenting Advances in Applied Biotelemetry writ large will be considered.

Challenges – Specific topics could include studies to inform the design, monitoring and protection of harvest refugia or other types of critical habitat; or to promote space use, species interaction or conflict mitigation, or to inform on disease vectors and transmission mechanisms or routes. All realms, regions and taxa are of interest, and cross taxa studies will be encouraged – as will species interactions (including human-wildlife interactions) in overlapping habitats of special interest.

Applications – Practical application examples include informing on and mitigating human-wildlife space use conflict, mitigating impacts of renewable energy infrastructure (both terrestrial and aquatic); habitat protection or modification, provisioning or partitioning strategies for bred or harvested resources. Studies could inform on depredation/predation pressures, mating events, foraging strategies and social interactions.

Approaches – Study designs could involve wild animals or mesocosms, controlled environments or otherwise confined or delimited areas, or studies using surrogate species or rescue/rehabilitation programs. Unique manipulations could be applicable, such as translocation experiments, or manipulations of cost of locomotion or sound-scapes. Approaches could include collection of energy budgets, or behavioral, physiological and environmental data to inform engineering or habitat modification solutions to promote species conservation. Animal-borne telemetry devices could be used to characterize environmental conditions central to understanding habitat use.

Techniques – We welcome papers using existing biotelemetry technologies, or novel approaches (such as AI and Big Data approaches) or combinations thereof. Possible emergent technologies include simultaneous tracking of multiple animals and data exchange among them and autonomous data collecting stations.

Submissions should highlight the potential contribution towards solving real world problems, in the introduction and/or discussion.

All submissions in this collection undergo the journal’s standard peer review process. Similarly, all manuscripts authored by a Guest Editor(s) will be handled by the Editor-in-Chief. As an open access publication, this journal levies an article processing fee (details here). We recognize that many key stakeholders may not have access to such resources and are committed to supporting participation in this issue wherever resources are a barrier. For more information about what support may be available, please visit OA funding and support, or email OAfundingpolicy@springernature.com or the Editor-in-Chief.