A Motus tower at NLI’s Kanella Renshaw Preserve in southern Illinois.
Natural Land Institute is pleased that we can participate in the Motus Wildlife Tracking System for research in Illinois. Last year a Motus tower was installed at our Kanella Renshaw Preserve (not open to the public) in southern Illinois.
Read the Illinois Motus Newsletter: Spring 2025 and see a map with dots. The farthest east yellow dot in the southern Illinois line of towers is the location of our preserve with the Motus Tower.
Forest Preserves of Winnebago County also has a tower at Sugar River Alder Forest Preserve.
What is it?
The Motus Wildlife Tracking System is an international collaborative network of researchers that use automated radio telemetry to simultaneously track hundreds of individuals of numerous species of birds, bats, and insects. The system enables a community of researchers, educators, organizations, and citizens to undertake impactful research and education on the ecology and conservation of migratory animals.
When compared to other technologies, automated radio telemetry currently allows researchers to track the smallest animals possible, with high temporal and geographic precision, over great distances. Much more about Motus can be found at http://motus.org