Satellite tag design for cetaceans is constantly evolving, together with anchoring systems and deployment methods.
In 1998, the first attempt to deploy a satellite tag on a whale utilized a a heavy duty compound crossbow. The method called for some serious improvement and consequently the ARTS was developed. The ARTS is a modified compressed air propelled line thrower developed in collaboration with Norwegian biologist Lars Kleivane and Dr.Mads Peter Heide-Jørgensen
It has been used to affix tags on many species of large whales, including Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Bowheads, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales, Sei Whales, Gray Whales and even Walrus.
Some tags are either too big or too fragile for the ARTS and in response to this the Villum-Pole was developed.
The Villum-Pole is an 8 meter long carbon fiber pole used to affix tags on whales at close range.The Villum-Pole also takes a biopsy sample at the same time as the tag is attached to the whale. It has been used primarily on Bowhead and Humpback Whales, with some use on Blue Whales and Killer Whales. Crossbows have made a reappearance on the tagging scene as satellite tags have become smaller
The latest piece of equipment is a CO2 driven gun, which has been used on Narwhals and Walruses in West Greenland.
As the satellite tags evolve, so do anchors and delivery systems– the general tendency is that smaller tags create smaller anchors.
A new very small satellite tag has been developed by Wildlife Computers and used with various anchoring systems developed by MIKKEL VILLUM on Walrus and Polar Bear. Three tags were affixed on Walrus in West Greenland in April ´07. One of them lasted for more than 4 month, and tracked the animal to its summering grounds on Baffin Island, Canada. Around a hundred tags of other types of tags have been remotely affixed to Walrus elsewhere, and none lasted more than about 2 months.
The same tag has been used on Polar Bear males with another anchoring system. That type lasted for more than 5 months.
Besides making equipment for satellite tags intended for cetaceans, MIKKEL VILLUM also develops equipment for other species – lately tongs for ear tags for Polar Bears.