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Satellite tracking of pink-footed goose
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FRAGILE Homepage |  |
On 31 March 2004, 7 pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) equipped with satellite transmitters were released at Vest Stadil Fjord, Western Denmark. 3 of the satellite transmitters had built-in solar panels, witch can expand the transmitters lifetime to several years. The geese had been captured using cannon nets, and a total of 289 pink-footed geese were trapped. All geese were marked with standard metal rings and blue neck collars with three digit codes, which enable individual recognision in the field.
 Pink-footed goose captured in 2004. Marked with neck collar B6K and equipped with 30 g satellite transmitter attached with knicker elastic.
Photo: Christian M. Glahder |
 Pink-footed goose captured in 2004. Marked with neck collar B6V and equipped with 45 g satellite transmitter with solar panel attached with teflon ribbon.
Photo: Christian M. Glahder |
The pink-footed geese will leave Denmark in late April and migrate via Norwegian stopover sites in Trondheimsfjorden and Vesterålen to the Svalbard breeding grounds. Here they arrive in late May. Late September the geese migrate back to the wintering grounds in Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium. You can follow the positions of the geese here (remember to set start- and end date):
The aim of the project is to track the detailed migration of the pink-footed
geese and locate the pre-nesting sites used in Svalbard. Also, we wish to know preferred goose-habitats during summer and autumn in Svalbard. Important is also to know of staging periods in Svalbard. In 2004, likewise 2003, a team of scientists will study breeding ecology and behaviour.
The project is part of a larger project FRAGILE, FRagility of Arctic Goose habitat:
Impacts of Land use, conservation and Elevated temperatur (http://www.fragile-eu.net),
funded by the European Commission.
For more information on satellite tracking of the Pink-footed Geese contact:
Christian M. Glahder
Dept. of Arctic Environment
P. O. Box 358
Frederiksborgvej 399
DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
e-mail: cmg@dmu.dk
phone: +45 46 30 19 46
Links:
DR Nyheder, 1 April 2004 (video in danish only)
"Naturriget", TV2/Midt-Vest, 13 April 2004 (video in danish only)
Observations of pink-footed geese
Collection of pictures of pink-footed geese
Pink-footed geese released upon marking on 31 march 2004.
Photo: Christian M. Glahder.
