Oregon Zoo's very own Nora the polar bear is helping in Arctic conservation efforts.
Conservationists are working to study how climate change is affecting Arctic environments and the polar bear population. However the harshness of the environment makes human observation very difficult.
Nora is now sporting a "burr on fur" tracking device designed to gather data on polar bear movements and behavior.
This less-invasive device is attached to the animal's fur and is designed to fall off on its own after a period of time.
“They do ear tags, they've tried things like transponders and putting those things, like a chip when you microchip your dog," said Amy Hash, Supervisor of Oregon Zoo’s Marine Life Area. “But those all require a more invasive technique. This, you just put it on and sew it through their own fur. So it's a very good technique we just need to make it better.”
During her first trial run, Nora’s burr stayed on for seven days.
Researchers are working to figure out how to make it stay on for up to a year.