Implantable PIT tags, hand-held scanners, swim-through and remote monitoring systems for zoo collections, threatened species programs, university field research and wildlife conservation projects — supplied locally from Melbourne since 1989.
For a complete guide to PIT tag selection, FDX-A vs ISO FDX-B protocols, and Australian conservation case studies, see our PIT tags Australia overview.
New Zealand sea lions being scanned with a Trovan GR250 reader during a population survey.
Microchips Australia has supplied Trovan equipment for the majority of Australian zoo and wildlife research projects involving mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and even insects.
Tasmanian devil insurance populations, eastern quolls, bilbies, numbats, greater gliders, Leadbeater's possums and Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombats. Lifetime individual ID for genetic management, captive breeding and reintroduction tracking.
Post-release monitoring through remote antennas at den entrances, nest boxes and waterholes. Quolls on Maria Island, devils on mainland sanctuaries, bilbies in fenced reserves.
Smaller 8mm × 1.4mm Midi-Chips for micro-bats, small birds, reptiles, frogs and young mammals. Suitable for nestling-stage tagging in seabird and shorebird colonies.
In-stream antennas, submersible readers (LID-650 + IP68 ANT-612) for platypus, Giant Freshwater Crayfish, Murray cod, and other native freshwater species in long-term passive monitoring.
Individual identification for international zoo studbooks, breeding programs, medical records and animal welfare tracking across mammal, bird, reptile and fish collections.
Custom antenna geometries for nest-box monitoring, weigh-scale integration, optical-beam triggered reading, and solar-powered field stations across remote Australian sites.
The Trovan Unique FDX-A (ID100 range) is, by a substantial margin, the most-used implantable RFID system in Australian wildlife and zoo research. There are good reasons for that.
ISO FDX-B chips (used in companion dogs and cats in Australia) often can't be read reliably — or at all — by remote monitoring antennas. Choosing FDX-A from the start protects your option to use remote and submersible reading systems now or later.
Trovan Unique codes are factory-allocated and globally unique. Glass encapsulation is hermetically sealed against moisture, mites and gut contents. Long track record across Australian field conditions.
Conventional ID100 (11.5mm × 2.2mm) for adult mammals and reptiles. ID100 Midi-Chip (8mm × 1.4mm) for small birds, micro-bats, frogs and young mammals. ID100 Nano (8mm × 1.25mm) for the smallest species and life stages.
Pre-sterilised in-needle chips for use with reusable syringe implanters (lower per-chip cost), or pre-sterilised all-in-one devices that combine implanter, needle and chip into a single disposable unit (faster in the field, no separate implanter needed). Both come with 6 adhesive labels per chip.
The right reading system depends on what you want to learn. Microchips Australia can specify, supply and where needed custom-build complete reading infrastructure for your project.
For scanning recaptured, found or deceased animals during routine surveys. Ranges include the GR-251, GR-252 and LID series with USB, Bluetooth and (on some models) integrated data logging.
Single and multi-coil antennas in custom geometries connected to paired decoder/data-loggers. Used at den entrances, nest boxes, fence pop-holes, stream culverts and burrows.
IP68-rated LID-650 readers with submersible antennas (e.g. ANT-612) for permanent in-water deployment. Used in platypus and freshwater crayfish monitoring across Tasmania, Victoria and NSW.
240V AC mains, 12V DC battery, or solar-recharged operation for remote field sites. Optional optical beam sensors trigger reading only when an animal crosses (saving power and providing in/out directional data) and integrate with weigh scales for body-weight recording.
In-stream monitoring antennas deployed for platypus research.
Leadbeater's Possum nest box monitoring system with antenna and optical sensors.
Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat antenna and integrated weigh scale.
In 2016, Microchips Australia supplied Trovan readers and antenna systems for the Tasmanian Devil Insurance Population on Maria Island — one of Australia's most significant native mammal conservation programs. Varun Uthappa, Director of Microchips Australia, was on the ground during installation, working alongside Save the Tasmanian Devil Program staff.
The insurance population on Maria Island provided a Devil Facial Tumour Disease-free refuge for the species. Trovan-implanted individuals could be identified in the field through routine handling and at strategic remote antenna locations, supporting genetic management, individual health tracking and population modelling.
Microchips Australia is the exclusive Australian distributor of Trovan RFID. Founded in 1989 by three Australian veterinarians, we've supplied wildlife researchers, zoos and conservation programs continuously for 37 years.
Almost every major zoo and a substantial portion of Australian university wildlife research projects in the last three decades has used Trovan equipment supplied by us — with technical support, custom builds and dedicated wildlife account managers from our Melbourne base.
Read our complete PIT tags guide for protocol selection and sizing, or contact our wildlife team for project consultation on chip selection, antenna design and custom-built remote monitoring systems.
PIT Tags Australia guide Contact our team