• Usman I.H
• Arthur I.A
• Yusuf M.A
• Abdullahi M
• Damina S.M

Livestock rustling remains a persistent security and economic challenge in many developing countries, particularly across Africa. Recent advances in tracking technologies have enabled the progressive miniaturization of Global Positioning System (GPS)-based livestock monitoring devices, evolving from bulky collar-mounted units to compact electronic ear tags and, more recently, experimental subcutaneous implant systems. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the technological trends driving this miniaturization, with emphasis on device size, power consumption, signal performance, tamper resistance, and suitability for anti-rustling applications. Advanced ear-tag solutions leveraging cellular, LoRaWAN, and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication now provide near real-time tracking with improved reliability and reduced detectability. In contrast, subcutaneous implants, while widely adopted for animal identification using RFID technology, remain largely experimental for GPS-based tracking due to signal attenuation and power constraints. A comparative analysis of collar-based trackers, advanced ear tags, and subcutaneous implants is presented, highlighting their strengths, limitations, and future research directions. The review concludes that while ear-tag-based systems currently represent the most practical anti-rustling solution, continued advances in ultra-low-power electronics and energy harvesting may eventually enable fully implantable GPS tracking systems.

GPS tracking, Livestock security, Anti-rustling technology, Smart ear tags, Subcutaneous implants, LoRaWAN

"Review on the Miniaturization of GPS Trackers for Livestock Anti-Rustling Applications", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 1, page no.e711-e713, January-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2601497.pdf

"Review on the Miniaturization of GPS Trackers for Livestock Anti-Rustling Applications", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 1, page no. ppe711-e713, January-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2601497.pdf