How Does Radio-Telemetry Work?
 Each tapir wears a transmitter attached to a collar fitted around its neck. Each transmitter is programmed to a unique frequency so we can identify individual tapirs with the receiver we carry. The antenna attached to the receiver enables us to determine, within a 2 degree margin of error, the compass bearing of the animals in relation to our position (we can only roughly estimate the distance based on the intensity and clarity of the signal).
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Telemetry Equipment:
Receiver, Antenna & Collar | Trail Tags and Map |
Along the 20 kilometers of trails in the Sirena area we have over 200 "telemetry stations" indicated by metal tags and flagging tape. The coordinates of each station have been precisely mapped out and loaded into a computer program.
The determination of the location of a tapir is a 3-step process called triangulation:
| 1. A compass bearing is taken on the animal's transmitter from one of the telemetry stations. |  |  |
| 2. A second compass bearing is taken from farther down the trail at a second telemetry station. |
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| 3. A computer program uses the coordinates of the stations and the data from steps 1 and 2 to calculate the coordinates of the tapir. |
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