Download Supplemental Protocol for Tagging/Collaring

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Instituto Smithsonian de Investigaciones
Tropicales
SUPPLEMENTAL PROTOCOL
FOR TAGGING OR COLLARING VERTEBRATES
STRI Animal Care and Use Committee
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Applicant: This protocol must be submitted in addition to the ACUC general protocol for fitting
vertebrate animals with any kind of large attachment, including radio or GPS tags, harnesses,
collars, etc. Marking with PIT tags, leg bands, or ear tags does not require the submission of this
supplementary form, but should be detailed in the general protocol.
Please note: This protocol may be sent to experts outside STRI for external review. Please submit
to [email protected].
Guidelines for tagging or collaring vertebrate animals at STRI:
 STRI strongly urges the presence of a veterinarian for any procedure requiring
anesthesia.
 If bringing controlled substances (e.g., for anesthesia) from the US into Panama, please
supply the STRI ACUC with a copy of authorization from the DEA (U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration).
 STRI strongly urges researchers to build auto-release mechanisms into collars such that
the animals do not need to be recaptured for collar removal. Examples of auto-release
collars are those with the insert of a biodegradable material that fall off when the
material degrades, or collars with a computer-chip-driven auto-release mechanism.
 Researchers should report deaths of subject animals immediately to the STRI ACUC.
When warranted and when possible, necropsies should be performed by certified
veterinarians (e.g., Corozal Veterinarian Hospital, Universidad de Panama).
 STRI requires reports on the health and wellbeing of all collared animals every three
months for the duration of the project. In addition, any subsequent information acquired
after the project that could help collaring protocols in the future should be reported to
the committee.
 As for all protocols, an end of project report should be submitted at project close. New
protocols will not be accepted until the end of project protocol is received.
Project title:
Name of principle investigator(s):
What tags will be used?
Why are tags necessary?
How do these tags affect animal behavior, intraspecific interactions, mating success, predation
risk, and survival?
Are there alternatives to tagging?
How will tagging advance the research study?
Please list the species, the number of individuals, and duration of tagging in the chart below.
Modify the chart or add notes below as needed.
Species
Common name
Duration of tagging
Scientific name
Number of
individuals
Start date
End date
Provide a thorough description of the type of tags to be used. For collars, specify the collar
dimensions, construction materials, drop-off mechanism, and a URL for the manufacturer and
product information. For all types of tags, please include both the weight of the tag and the
percentage of the animal’s body weight the tag comprises.
Please indicate your course of action if 1) the tags/collars stop working, or 2) an animal health
concern is reported or suspected, or 3) a study protocol becomes dormant or the animals are not
actively followed.
Please address the course of action if removal plans (whether re-capture, mechanical release, or
natural deterioration) fail.
Please cite scientific papers published using this tagging system on the species to be investigated
in this proposal. If yours is the first study to use this tagging system on these animals, please cite
scientific papers on closely related species or on similar tagging systems.