TY - JOUR

T1 - Robust Algorithms for Drone-Assisted Monitoring of Big Animals in Harsh Conditions of Siberian Winter Forests: Recovery of European elk (Alces alces) in Salair Mountains

AU - Prosekov, Alexander

AU - Vesnina, Anna

AU - Atuchin, Victor

AU - Kuznetsov, Aleksandr

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This work was partly supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia (project 075-15-2020-797 (13.1902.21.0024)). Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2022/6/1

Y1 - 2022/6/1

N2 - There are two main reasons for monitoring the population of forest animals. First, regular surveys reveal the real state of biodiversity. Second, they guarantee a prompt response to any negative environmental factor that affects the animal population and make it possible to eliminate the threat before any permanent damage is done. The research objective was to study the potential of drone planes equipped with thermal infrared imaging cameras for large animal monitoring in the conditions of Siberian winter forests with snow background at temperatures −5 °C to −30 °C. The surveyed territory included the Salair State Nature Reserve in the Kemerovo Region, Russia. Drone planes were effective in covering large areas, while thermal infrared cameras provided accurate statistics in the harsh winter conditions of Siberia. The research featured the population of the European elk (Alces alces), which is gradually deteriorating due to poaching and deforestation. The authors developed an effective methodology for processing the data obtained from drone-mounted thermal infrared cameras. The research provided reliable results concerning the changes in the elk population on the territory in question. The use of drone planes proved an effective means of ungulate animal surveying in snow-covered winter forests. The designed technical methods and analytic algorithms are cost-efficient and they can be applied for monitoring large areas of Siberian and Canadian winter forests.

AB - There are two main reasons for monitoring the population of forest animals. First, regular surveys reveal the real state of biodiversity. Second, they guarantee a prompt response to any negative environmental factor that affects the animal population and make it possible to eliminate the threat before any permanent damage is done. The research objective was to study the potential of drone planes equipped with thermal infrared imaging cameras for large animal monitoring in the conditions of Siberian winter forests with snow background at temperatures −5 °C to −30 °C. The surveyed territory included the Salair State Nature Reserve in the Kemerovo Region, Russia. Drone planes were effective in covering large areas, while thermal infrared cameras provided accurate statistics in the harsh winter conditions of Siberia. The research featured the population of the European elk (Alces alces), which is gradually deteriorating due to poaching and deforestation. The authors developed an effective methodology for processing the data obtained from drone-mounted thermal infrared cameras. The research provided reliable results concerning the changes in the elk population on the territory in question. The use of drone planes proved an effective means of ungulate animal surveying in snow-covered winter forests. The designed technical methods and analytic algorithms are cost-efficient and they can be applied for monitoring large areas of Siberian and Canadian winter forests.

KW - comparison of accounting methods

KW - computer technology

KW - large animals

KW - nature reserve

KW - UAV

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131572510&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/ani12121483

DO - 10.3390/ani12121483

M3 - Article

C2 - 35739821

AN - SCOPUS:85131572510

VL - 12

JO - Animals

JF - Animals

SN - 2076-2615

IS - 12

M1 - 1483

ER -