Cost comparison between GPS- and VHF-based telemetry: case study of feral cats Felis catus in New Zealand
Improvements in technology now make it possible to track animals of cat size using Global Positioning System (GPS)-telemetry. GPS technology has important advantages over traditional Very High Frequency (VHF)-radio tracking, but does incur higher per-tag costs. Budget is a limiting factor in experimental research; thus, an evaluation of the costs associated with both technologies according to the targets of a project should be undertaken before making any final decisions on the purchase of units and final experimental design.