Although the captivating species of the harbor seals are fairly stable in many parts of the world and can be seen in just about every zoo, when it comes to southeastern Alaska, there is a decline. The harbor seals rest and breed at nearby glacier icebergs; however, since the availability of the ice is changing, it affects the seals’ behaviors, which are important for their reproduction and survival.

There are two different studies that have been conducted, one through the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) and the other through the National Park Service (NPS). Both found the seals could be changing their behavior and distribution in order to acclimate with the changing locations of ice because of the glaciers retreating.

Jamie Womble, who is leading the Glacier Bay NPS research, is working closely with her team to figure out the precise movements and distribution of the seals and how it relates to the glacier ice.

One particular method being used that is working effectively is Aerial tracking. This involves flying above the ice and counting the seals. Another method for tracking the seals movements is through the use of GPS tracking devices, which are glued to the seals. There is little risk to the seals since during the following summer’s molt season, the GPS tracking technology will come off safely. Read the rest of this entry »

Municipal agencies are necessary to keep large cities and small towns alike operating effectively. The average city couldn’t function without the valuable services you provide. However, you are operating on the taxpayers’ dollars so it’s important to do whatever is possible to keep expenses low while offering the most efficient possible services. GPS fleet tracking systems can assist with both these criteria and more.

Simplifies Dispatch Responsibilities

A busy municipal dispatcher has a lot of balls in the air at any given time. Dropping even one of those balls can be costly for the city. GPS fleet tracking allows dispatchers to instantly see the location of all vehicles on a map so they can quickly identify which vehicle is closest to the target location. This shaves miles off the day for drivers, is a more efficient process for dispatching, and ultimately leads to tasks being completed faster without the wasted hours of labor while drivers cross paths throughout the day.

Promotes Safer Driving Habits

Safe driving is important – especially for municipal agencies who need to strive to set safe driving examples for the general public in your city. GPS fleet tracking for municipalities allows you options to receive notification whenever any of your vehicles are going faster than the speed limit, accelerating too quickly, braking hard, or driving aggressively. This allows you to deal with the behavior of drivers and take appropriate disciplinary action to discourage these types of behaviors behind the wheel of city vehicles. Read the rest of this entry »

A new fishermen’s water safety course is being conducted in Castletownbere. Over the past decade, 53 fishermen died at sea, which has encouraged the launch of a national campaign through the fisheries board BIM to encourage seafarers to wear lifejackets equipped with GPS tracking technology.   In the sector in 2015 alone, there were 4 fishing-related deaths.

Caitlin Ui Aodha, a skipper herself, backs the campaign since she lost her husband, Michael Hayes in 2012 in a fishing tragedy off Union Hall in Tit Bonhomme.

The Irish Sea Fisheries Board, Bord lascaigh Mhara (BIM), has now disclosed its public relations and national advertising campaign against abrupt death statistics.

The hope is that the campaign will get more fishermen to wear their lifejackets whenever at sea and complete involuntary safety survival training through BIM. These personal flotation device (PFD) lifejackets in the campaign are equipped with GPS tracking devices, which will send signals out to emergency services when activated and provide them with the exact location of the devices. Read the rest of this entry »

Your company naturally wants to do as much as possible to increase profit and improve your bottom line. And your company’s reputation can have a big impact on your bottom line. The driving behavior of your employees can have an impact on your company’s reputation. Things like speeding, accidents, hard braking, or showing up late at customer appointments are just a few examples of poor driving behaviors that could negatively impact your company’s reputation.

But, what are you doing to prevent poor employee driving behaviors that could prove costly? The fact is, many employees don’t get the right kind of training to teach them how to improve their driving and prevent accidents. They come onboard with dangerous driving habits that could cost your business lots of money.
How Company Vehicle Accidents Can Increase Costs

When you have fleet drivers out on the roads, both your vehicles and the cargo it carries are at risk — not to mention the drivers themselves. In the event of an accident and a company vehicle has to go in for repairs, it can cost more than just the repair bill. Read the rest of this entry »

Wildlife officials situated at a couple East Tennessee national parks are looking to gain new insight into wild hogs through the use of GPS satellite technology for tracking nuisance bears.

Over the years, people who tracked the Great Smoky Mountains National Park wild hogs have been reading the land to figure out where the hogs were. However, now, with the help of modern technology, they are now trying to determine where they are going instead.

New funding has made it possible for the park to put GPS tracking collars on some of these hogs so they will be able to monitor the hogs’ movements better. According to Dana Soehn, park spokesperson, they will get the hogs point location every couple of hours if the animals are moving around inside of the park.

This tracking device is essential now more than it has ever been. Wild hogs are North America’s most prolific large animals says Bill Stiver, park wildlife biologist. They are able to breed at the age of 6 months and have 2 litters a year, producing 3 to 8 piglets. Read the rest of this entry »