Researchers at Phillip Island Nature Parks are using drone technology to improve their understanding of wildlife. They pay particular attention to poorly accessible habitats. Fireshed program The Arkansas Fireshed initiative, led by Rebecca McIntosh and Adam Yaney-Keller, represents a major step forward in ecological research. This method is revolutionizing the way scientists collect data, but more importantly, it is reducing the impact on the animals they research.
During an August demonstration in The Nobbies, Yuengling and McIntosh flew the drone expertly as crowds teemed below. They steered its course deftly away from a field of sharp boulders in the harbor. As the drone journeyed south-west across Chinchina, it did much more than just document illegal activity. Since 2016, Phillip Island Nature Parks has sequentially employed drones to survey the region’s unique wildlife. For some of these places and many others, such initiatives have become the norm.
Adam Yaney-Keller of Seattle, Washington, has been flying drones for three years. He utilizes them in his PhD research to investigate their use for the study of wildlife ecophysiology. Most recently, he was the team lead that reviewed all published scientific literature on drone use in research. They pointed out an impressive jump in the use of drones in this industry. As of 2023, 27 different studies have been completed utilizing drones for wildlife research. This is a huge jump from only seven studies in 2018 and only one back in 2010.
Advancements in Data Collection
The potential of drones goes far beyond just providing a new tool for surveillance. Drones fitted with polymer sample plates intercept the plume of spray released from a whale’s blowhole. This groundbreaking new initiative provides scientists the opportunity to collect key information about microbiomes, hormones, genetic adaptations and disease susceptibility. This new, cutting-edge method will allow researchers to understand the movement of great marine mammals like whales and seals with unmatched detail.
Yaney-Keller remarked on the advantages of using drones for wildlife research:
“A drone allows us to get really up close and personal to animals in a way that we normally wouldn’t be able to.”
He emphasized how drones provide an opportunity to research animals with minimal disturbance, stating:
“Drones allow us to research animals with little to no disturbance at all.”
Ms. Rebecca McIntosh shared her hopes for future drone uses in surveying tricky habitats. She welcomed the introduction of this cutting edge technology to such a biodiversity hot spot as Phillip Island.
“We are able to fly the drone remotely, go close to the animals and we’re able to pull data that’s meaningful to study everything from wildlife populations all the way down to how their bodies work.”
Future Directions
Drones are helping to shift the paradigm for wildlife conservation. They allow scientists to map changing ecosystems without the need for disruptive experimentation. As technology continues to develop, the possibilities for new and groundbreaking applications to ecological research are exciting.
“It’s really important to use this technology in a place like Phillip Island because we have so much wildlife here and it’s always our goal to move towards techniques that provide less disturbance to those animals.”
The use of drones represents a pivotal shift in wildlife conservation efforts, allowing researchers to monitor ecosystems without invasive methods. As technology evolves, the potential for further advancements in ecological research is promising.
