Scientists Russia got a shock when their phone bill arrived. The bill was a lot bigger than they expected it to be. The reason was because the steppe eagle they were following their research flew too far Russia. The scientists were tracking the eagle as it migrated the European and Asian continents. The bird had SMS transmitters fitted to its body. This meant that when it flew Russia, the transmitters used the Internet services other countries. The scientists thus had to pay data roaming charges. These are the charges you pay to use your mobile phone other countries. The research team ran of money the eagle flew to Iran and Pakistan.
The team started a page a crowdfunding site to help raise money to pay the bill. The page was called "Top the eagle's mobile". Bird lovers from the world contributed money to the page. The scientists raised $1,600 to pay the bill. Russia's mobile phone operator Megafon then heard the scientists' problems and offered to cancel the debt. It also moved the team's phone package to one a cheaper rate. The problem the team started when the eagle flew outside Russia and Kazakhstan. An SMS Kazakhstan cost 30 US cents, but one Iran cost 50 cents. A scientist said he wanted the eagle to continue sending SMS data to help his project, which will help protect all steppe eagles.
