Scientists worldwide are studying the movement patterns of migrating animal species. Changes in the routes they follow are an indicator of changing environmental conditions. However, it is extremely difficult to compare the data gained from ringing, radio telemetry, and other methods. An internationally accessible database is now set to remedy this situation. The project, undertaken jointly by the National Science Foundation in the US and the Max Planck Society, was initiated by Martin Wikelski, who has been a Director at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell since 2008, and is also a professor at the University of Konstanz.

In the future, the MOVEBANK database will serve as a data warehouse in which researchers can store and present all historical and current information on global animal migrations. A preliminary beta version has been available since January 2009 (http://www.movebank.org). As an example, the database allows users to check on the movements of Venezuelan oilbirds, and even pinpoint the location of a single individual bird using Google Maps. The final version of MOVEBANK is expected to be available starting in July 2009. This will not only aid cooperation between scientists, but it will also provide a platform for discussion.

In order to safeguard the authorship of the raw data, the database will provide for various types of access. “This project will enable us to register changes in the migratory movements of various species, particularly in areas that are not otherwise accessible,” says Martin Wikelski. “Based on the general principles of animal migrations, we will then be able to develop mathematical models that will also allow us to forecast, for example, the spread of infectious diseases such as avian flu.”