Tracking animals in social groups

Many animals live in social groups and understanding the effects of individuals on others in the group as well as group dynamics requires understanding where animals are when and whom they encounter. The increasing interest in social networks and group behaviour, both in fundamental ecological research as well as in applied research such as on farm animals, asks for tracking technologies that collect adequate data on individual movements within groups and social encounters, as well as statistical tools to deal with these kinds of data. Yet, collecting and analyzing such data in social groups remains challenging, specifically when tracking small animals. Tracking here requires small and light weight tags or advanced sensor technologies which at the same time provide sufficient time resolution to track fast movements without losing an individual. This symposium will cover research where state-of-the-art tracking technologies are used in different taxa, and thus highlights technological advances and further needs, leading to a better understanding of social behaviour within groups of animals.