QUESTION:
If you put a radio satellite on a chick will the predators that eat that
chick be hurt by the satellite...or be affected by it in any way?

                From Megan H.R., 
                Lake Forest Elementary
                Lake Forest, CA

ANSWER from Donna Patterson, Research Assistant, Dr. Fraser's Team
            Palmer Station, Antarctica
            Fri, 21 Feb 1997 16:10:33 -0500


Hello Megan,

If a predator eats a bird with a transmitter attached, it probably 
would not be hurt by the transmitter.  The kind that we use on 
Adelie penguins are about 5 cm long and 2 cm in diameter, rounded and 
smooth.  There are no sharp edges that might hurt the predator.  If 
it is a seal eating a penguin, the transmitter would probably pass 
right thru the seal's digestive system.   Luckily, giant petrels (the 
species that I would really like to follow!) have very few predators 
and it is uncommon that a another animal would ingest a transmitter.  

Thanks for your question!
Donna