Motus in the Caribbean: beneficial practices for the global and regional network

Facilitated by Maya Wilson, BirdsCaribbean; Todd Alleger, American Bird Conservancy; and Adam Smith, American Bird Conservancy. 

Emails: mayawilson@birdscaribbean.org, TAlleger@abcbirds.org, ASmith@abcbirds.org

Purpose: This workshop is intended for current and potential Motus users from across the Caribbean. We will cover beneficial practices to design, install, and maintain functional, robust Motus automatic receiver stations, as well as collaborative project planning.

Overview: The Motus Wildlife Tracking System has revolutionized how we record animal movement and behaviors in nature using collaborative automated radio telemetry. The Motus network has been expanding rapidly throughout the Caribbean. This workshop is designed for those who have or will soon install Motus stations or implement species tracking projects.

Objectives: Provide information and resources focused on:

•  The global Motus network and the Caribbean Motus Collaboration

•  Site selection and station design

•  Station maintenance and troubleshooting

•  Motus data types and access

Session Structure: Workshop will run on July 17th. We will demonstrate beneficial practices to design, install, and maintain functional, robust Motus stations. Discussions may include collaborative project goals, planning strategies, troubleshooting, and more. Participants will receive useful materials, will have an opportunity to hear from Motus users in the Caribbean, all with their unique challenges, and will leave with an understanding of how to sustain their stations as well as the benefits of collaborative project goals for all who use the Motus network.