Technology can help
New technologies let us observe nature in ways that used to be impossible. They can help us understand how animals are doing and where they need help.
Some technologies
- Camera traps: cameras with motion sensors set up in nature that take pictures of animals when they walk by.
- LIDAR: a laser scan that creates 3D images of landscapes.
- Thermal cameras: they pick up animals' body heat, so we can find them even at night or when they're hidden.
- Sound analysis: recording the sounds of animals and their surroundings gives clues about their health, their interactions, and changes in their habitat.
- Environmental DNA: collecting genetic material left behind in the environment, like hair, feathers, droppings, and scales, to find out which animals live there.
It's now even possible to identify individual insects and recognize them again later.
The power of data
More and more powerful computers will make it possible to analyze all this information and better understand animals' well-being, helping plan safer interventions.
In short
- Cameras, lasers, sound, and DNA help us observe animals.
- These technologies let us understand how they're doing.
- With more data, help can be safer and more effective.