Bryn Athyn College Alumni Magazine Winter 2015 | Page 33

research

Google Earth tracks Trevor who had a nice day traipsing around the Historic District.

the first deer the team trapped and studied, (and
hunting. It’s about bringing people, ideas and
there have been close to 50 in total) not a single deer technology together, and then pushing it to the
has been hurt during the trapping. In fact, some
extreme.” The technological innovations developed
deer even return to the trap to feed. Bryntesson
for the deer study perfectly illustrate this model:
explained, “Our method is to learn more about
“We can now use this system and technology for
the animal. While the current management effort
making predictions about all sorts of things like
sanctioned by the Pennsylvania Game Commission
human behavior, weather, and even buying power.”
is essentially to cull the herd--in
In addition to the potential for
other words, harvesting the deer--we
world-wide
impact, the actual hands-on
With a brilliant
are trying to add to the knowledge
experience has proven to be exciting –
“mail to map”
by learning how the deer behave
even euphoric at times – for all those
system conceived
so that additional methods of
involved, both students and professors
by Potapov, each
management can be implemented.”
alike. As Potapov put it, “Every day is
Higgins added, “By looking at the
exciting.” Higgins added, “You get to
deer has its own
data, we can minimize the negative
be a kid. You play in the dirt, and yet
email account and
impact we have on the deer and the
we’re also doing high level science and
blog, which send
deer have on us.” He added that the
cutting-edge mapping techniques.” One
information to
team gets to know the animal in
of the most exciting aspects involves
Google Maps and
an intimate way. To the Deer Study
the teamwork. As Higgins explained,
Google Earth.
team, the deer are not just statist X