Data on the Deterioration of Different Types of Attachment Hardware on Sham Satellite Radio Collars

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are difficult to study because of logistical challenges. Satellite radio collars are an excellent tool for efficiently collecting information on the distribution and habitat use of polar bears because they can be deployed for multiple years. Radio collars can be constructed using materials and devices that result in the collar falling off an animal so that the animal does not retain a non-functional collar indefinitely. However, the performance of "drop-off" materials and devices has been sub-optimal for many years. For example, collar release timer units (RTU), which cause the collar to detach from an animal at a pre-programmed point in time, can fail to function. Similarly, collar materials can fail to degrade in a timely manner based on environmental conditions specific to a study area. The retention of non-functional satellite radio collars is an animal welfare concern and thus warranted an investigation into opportunities to improve the reliability of collar materials and devices. This data set contains three tables with data on the: (1) tensile strength of a re-designed RTU on satellite radio collar belting material to determine its ability to resist fracture and deformation, processes that could facilitate water intrusion from force exerted on a collar by a polar bear, (2) degradation rates of biodegradable hardware that can be used to attach satellite radio collars, and (3) observations of wear in collar belting material and parts.