CritterTrack

Tag: middle-school

Tag for data that belongs to middle school explorations!

  • Map yourself: technologies to track people

    Create a visualization map that tracks your activities at regular times throughout the day or week. When designing a wildlife tracking program, researchers need to determine several things. For example, the tracking collars on the coyotes in the Visualizer send signals at the same specific times each day to mark the animals’ locations. Why do you think those times were selected? How many times and at what specific time(s) of day will you document your location? Why? 

    Share your map with others and see what they can infer about your travels and locations.

    Technologies exist that enable us to track people or vehicles remotely. Can you find examples? Why would people want information on the location of other people or vehicles?

  • What else can be learned from trapping coyotes?

    In addition to learning about the habits and movements of coyotes, wildlife biologists often gather other data on animals they trap and release.

    Click on the information icon (i) for each coyote in the Visualizer. What data was collected? What samples were taken? Why do you think this data is important to wildlife biologists? How might the data assist the Department of Natural Resources in establishing rules and regulations for hunting or trapping coyotes?

    Create a chart or graph using data gathered on the coyotes when they were trapped. 

    If you were tracking coyotes, what would you want to learn?

  • How does satellite tracking technology work?

    Satellite tracking is used to generate the data for the coyotes represented in the Visualizer. Research how the technology works. What powers it? How long will it last? Do you think this technology is the best suited for tracking coyotes? Why or why not? If you were designing or engineering a trap and track technology, how would you improve upon it?

  • Establishing coyote territories and the effects of human impact

    Examine the territories of the coyotes in the Visualizer. Do you think there are physical boundaries that define their territory? Do you think there are social boundaries (interactions with other coyotes or humans) that define the territories? Why might a coyote use a smaller or larger territory than a coyote in a different area? How do coyotes identify their territories or recognize territories of other coyotes? Do coyotes defend their territory?

    If a new road is planned that will bisect one of the coyote territories, how do you think this will impact the coyotes? 

  • Do coyotes impact other wildlife?

    Do coyotes feed on other animals or insects that homeowners consider to be favorable or unfavorable in their neighborhood? If coyotes establish a new territory, how might they impact the population of prey species? What role do you think regulated hunting and trapping of coyotes could play in maintaining prey populations? How do you think wildlife biologists confirm what coyotes are consuming?

  • Describe a day in the life of a coyote

    What do you think a coyote is doing at different locations or at different times of the day? Select a coyote and a day within the tracking period. Write a narrative that describes that day in the life of the coyote.

  • When are coyotes most active?

    What times of the day or night are coyotes most active?

    Why do you think this is?