The Internet of Animals
A vast network of data about life on Earth
When we think of global ecological monitoring, we think from a particular point of view: from high above Earth. We think of satellites orbiting the globe and capturing images, which are then interpreted by scientists to understand environmental changes like deforestation or ice melt. While this method is invaluable for understanding global processes, it is not the only way we can observe our planet.
ICARUS combines the power of satellite technology in space with sensors carried by wildlife on Earth. In this way, we do not only see from above; we also see from the ground, through the eyes of animals. ICARUS turns animals themselves into a global network of living environmental sensors—an Internet of Animals for monitoring our planet.
Animals as living sensors
The Internet of Animals can be understood by way of a well-known animal analogy: the canary in the coal mine. Historically, miners carried caged canaries into coal mines. If the birds became sick or died, it was a warning of toxic gases. We knew back then that animals could sense the health of our environment better than us; and we learned to carefully observe their movements.
As free-ranging beings, fine-tuned by evolution, animals sense the quality and health of ecosystems in real time through their movement decisions. ICARUS provides a global system for tapping into this animal knowledge, allowing us to read out those movement decisions from anywhere on Earth.
At the heart of the ICARUS system are miniature tracking tags, what we call "wearables for wildlife." Currently weighing 3-4 grams (and soon to be down to 1 gram) these tags are small enough to be fitted on a much wider diversity of animals than ever before. These tags communicate with powerful receivers installed on satellites 400 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. With pole-to-pole coverage of the planet, ICARUS can map the movements of birds, bats, marine reptiles, and land mammals across the globe.
First download from the Internet of Animals
In September 2020, ICARUS reached its first milestone when a tag on a Eurasian blackbird made contact with the International Space Station (ISS). The blackbird had been tagged by scientists in Belarus before it migrated south to its wintering grounds in Albania. As the ISS soared 410 kilometers above the Earth, the tag on the bird's back sent a 223-byte data packet up to the satellite. This tiny signal, containing the bird's recent GPS locations, was picked up by the ICARUS receiver on the ISS and relayed back to scientists on the ground.
That transmission marked the dawn of ICARUS, and the first trickle in a stream of data flowing through our space-based tracking system in its first year on the ISS. The data, collected until 2022, captured the movements of hundreds of animals from 15 species worldwide. ICARUS tags are engineered to be tiny and to run on solar energy, which meant that we observed the year-long movements of even small birds, revealing unknown aspects of their migration. For example, Hudsonian godwits fly nonstop from nonbreeding locations in Southern Chile to Mexico or across Central America to land in Texas, USA. And, common cuckoos conduct long water crossings over the Indian Ocean from India to Africa.
In March 2022, the ICARUS data stopped streaming in. The war on Ukraine ended the ICARUS collaboration with Russia, which hosted the ICARUS receiver on its module on the ISS. From 2025, a series of microsatellites will launch into space to create a network of six ICARUS receivers orbiting Earth, called ICARUS 2.0.
Learning from an Internet of Animals
ICARUS 2.0 will create an array of receivers that ensure continuous functionality and near real-time information on animal movements. This technology is creating more than just a collection of individual animal tracks. It's generating the high-velocity, global-scale live animal movement data that forms a central pillar for the Internet of Animals.
The Internet of Animals, importantly, has the potential to capture knowledge well beyond animal movement. Thanks to advances in technology, massive stores of animal-related data exist online, and these are growing exponentially. These data include taxonomy, genetics, phenotypes, conservation status, ecological interactions, and spatial distribution records of animals. These databases represent all the combined knowledge of animals that humanity has amassed and we now have the tools to unite these databases and to analyze them in real-time. Doing so would deliver a quantum leap in our ability to understand and protect our planet. Here are some examples of how we can learn from an Internet of Animals.
Protecting Wildlife and Wild Places
By tracking animal movements with high precision, scientists can identify vital migration corridors, seasonal gathering spots, and critical habitats that need protection. The system can also function as a real-time security alert. For example, conservation agencies could receive an instant alert if a group of tracked animals suddenly avoids a protected national park or if their tags signal they have died, potentially indicating the presence of illegal hunters or encroachment.
See more at the Conservation page of ICARUS.
Guarding Human and Animal Health
Animal movements are critical to understanding how diseases spread. Tracking animals can reveal important epidemiological links and help identify potential hotspots where diseases could jump from animals to humans (zoonotic diseases). For example, by tracking potential animal reservoirs, scientists could more effectively pinpoint the hosts and origins of diseases like Ebola or COVID-19, mapping and monitoring the potential for cross-border transmission.
See more at the Disease page of ICARUS.
Forecasting the Future
The Internet of Animals enables powerful ecological forecasting. By combining live and historical animal data with other information streams, we can begin to predict ecological events. Projects are already showing real-time conservation action made possible by the Internet of Animals. BirdCast combines new and historic radar and weather data and analyzes it with machine learning tools to create 6-hour forecasts of nocturnal bird migration. This information is used by cities to determine the most important nights to turn off building lights, preventing millions of birds from fatally colliding with windows. Whale Safe prevents deadly collisions between giant cargo ships and whales. The project combines near real-time data from acoustic monitoring buoys, observer sightings, and habitat maps to create a "whale presence rating" that advises ships when they should slow down to keep the animals safe.
See more at the Natural Disasters page of ICARUS.