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As it turns out, Apple Watch heart rate monitoring can be used on lions too

Using an Apple Watch to measure a lion's heartrate is the best use of this technology we've seen.

A conservation veterinarian discovered that if you've got a sedated lion on your hands and need to monitor its heart rate, wrapping an Apple Watch around its tongue does the trick.

Australian wildlife veterinarian Dr Chloe Buiting, who is Instagram user Jungle_doctor posted a video of an anesthetized lion with an Apple Watch strapped to its tongue.

Dr. Buiting called this hack an "off-label" use of Apple's technology and she described how the Apple Watch is helping conservation vets monitor their furry, scaly, or spikey patients during medical exams and surgeries.

The trick for monitoring the heart rate of this ferocious furry animal came from Instagram User Dr. Fabiola Quesada who is a prominent wildlife and conservation veterinarian.

Dr. Buiting says the Apple Watch has even been used to monitor the heart rate of an elephant by taping the watch to their ears.

Apple has no specific rating for slobber resistance. With any luck, existing water resistance will have to suffice.

It's not possible to tell which Apple Watch is being used to monitor heart rate here, but all models of the Apple Watch include heart rate monitoring. So, maybe don't risk your new Apple Watch Ultra, when any model will do.



3 Comments

mikethemartian 1493 comments · 18 Years

Several years ago my cat had to see a veterinarian that specialized in cardiology and he mentioned to me that I could use an AliveCor KardiaMobile EKG monitor. Unlike a human, for a cat it is applied directly across the chest with some alcohol to improve the electrical conductivity through the fur. Of course you need a cat that is willing to cooperate.

dewme 5775 comments · 10 Years

Apple should add this capability to the Apple Watch's feature list.

VictorMortimer 239 comments · New User

It seems like the sort of thing that might be better done with a slight modification to a cheap finger pulse oximeter.
But hey, if you've got a sedated lion and nothing but an Apple watch handy, I suppose it's good to know it'll work.  I definitely hope I'm never in a situation where I need to use this info.