Don’t forget the little guys: improving monitoring efforts for African small carnivores

Small carnivores are ecologically important species and key indicators of environmental change. However, for many of these species, we lack robust information on their conservation status, geographic distribution, and tolerance to anthropogenic threats. In this post, researchers from Nelson Mandela University share their experience with an emerging camera trapping method aimed at improving monitoring efforts for African small carnivores. For a wide array of species, … Continue reading Don’t forget the little guys: improving monitoring efforts for African small carnivores

AI and population monitoring; does it really make a difference?

Emily A. Jordan discusses the use of AI in population monitoring and her team’s experience using it to assess the Kapitia skink. In population monitoring, using unique markings to identify individuals is a practical solution when species are challenging to tag. We can camera trap elusive snow leopards, drone-photograph whales, and happily snap our tiniest amphibians. Yet these photographic records bring a fresh challenge. Each … Continue reading AI and population monitoring; does it really make a difference?