Aerial ungulate surveys with a combination of infrared and high每resolution natural colour images

作者：Franke; U; Goll; B; Hohmann; U; Heurich; M

来源：Animal Biodiversity and Conservation, 2012.

• Aerial survey
• Infrared camera
• Microlight aircraft
• Ungulates
• Wildlife monitoring

Information on animal population sizes is crucial for wildlife management. In aerial surveys, we used a silent light aircraft (microlight) and a combination of a computer每linked thermal infrared camera (640 x 480 pixels) to detect ungulates and high每resolution visual images (5,616 x 3,744 pixels) to identify specific species. From winter 2008/2009 to winter 2010/2011, we flew 48 missions over three German national parks and a German/ French biosphere reserve. Within each study area, we followed non每overlapping linear transects with a flying altitude ~450 m above ground level and scanned 1,500每2,000 ha every two hours of flight time. Animals best detected and identified were red deer and fallow deer. Detection rates with respect to the type and density of vegetation cover ranged from 0% (young spruce) to 75% (young defoliated beech) to 100% (open land). This non每invasive method is cost每effective and suitable for many landscapes.