Telenor Norway said it is cooperating with a start-up company Smartbjella to keep track of sheep via IoT when they have gone off for summer grazing in forests and mountains. More than 100,000 animals per year never return, the operator said. The partners will run a trial of Smartbjella collars this summer among 15,000 sheep.

The CEO of Smartbjella is Peter Asle Mona, himself a sheep farmer. The IoT tracking service enables shepherds to monitor the livestock’s locations on a map on their phone, tablet or PC. The application can also send an alert if an animal does not move for a protracted time, or has wandered into an area known to have predators.

Smartbjellas digital sheep bells weigh just 180 grams and have a ten-year battery life. The devices are waterproof and rugged enough to withstand could and rough handling.