Spy tech and rigged eggs help scientists study the secret lives of animals
The Oregon Zoo isn't putting all its eggs in a basket when it comes to condor conservation. The Dark Queen / Unsplash Last week, The New York Times went backstage at the Oregon Zoo for an intimate look at the fake eggs the zoo was developing as a part of its endangered Condor nursery program. The idea is that caretakers can swap out the real eggs the birds lay for smart egg spies that look and feel the same. These specially designed, 3D-printed eggs have been equipped with sensors that can monitor the general environment of the nest and the natural behaviors of the California condor parents (like how long they sat on the egg for, and when they switched off between parents). In addition to recording data related to surrounding temperature and...