Tracking Device on Rodents for Locating Their Nesting Places

I&T Wish Tracking Device on Rodents for Locating Their Nesting Places
(REF: W-0185)
Matched I&T Solution
Trial Project
Summary and Challenges

To effectively control rodents, a thorough inspection to identify nesting places, food sources and dispersal routes of rodents is essential.  Although food sources and dispersal routes can be detected by the presence of rat signs, it is difficult to locate nesting places as these are usually hidden space not easily accessible sometimes (e.g. crevices within intertwined concrete structures).  Hence, to effectively track rodent activities and identify their nesting places are the key factors for effective control of rats in urban areas.  Rodent activities cover both outdoor and indoor environment.  Tracking rodent activities indoor are even more difficult as the furniture, paraphernalia, celling voids, etc. provided concealed harboraging places for them. 

We understand that there are various types of tracking devices being used for tracking activities of wildlife in outdoor areas.  However, the use of such technologies, e.g. Very High Frequency (VHF) and Global Positioning System (GPS), might not necessarily be feasible for tracking rodents in indoor environment. 

FEHD is looking for technologies that could help track activities of rodents in indoor environment, e.g. markets.  The technologies should fulfill the following criteria :

  1. tags or collars used should be less than 5% of the body weight of common rodent species which is around 150g to 200g;
  2. the device should be capable of being attached firmly to a rodent without affecting its daily activities which include running, jumping, climbing and passing through gaps of as small as 6mm;
  3. signals emitted by the device should be capable of penetrating concrete wall or partition;
  4. signals should be capable of being detected by handheld detector or locating the exact location (indicating direction and distance from the detector) of the rodent for a distance not less than 30m.
Expected Outcome /
Expected Trial Duration 6 months
Contact Information
I&T Wish Proposer:Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD)
Contact Person:Mr LI Yin Lok
Position:Engineer/Municipal/New Territories 8
Tel:31554097
Email: ylli@emsd.gov.hk
Project Deliverables A technological solution involving a small device to be attached to or implanted on rodents that could allow signals to be transmitted, under an indoor or outdoor environment, to a handheld detector (capturing information on direction and distance from the detector).
Upload Date 2019-06-24
Closing Date 2020-06-21