Scientists make surprising discovery after studying drone footage of remote river: 'Confirms the utmost importance of this site'
By utilizing cutting-edge technology, a research team from the University of Florida has developed a method to survey wildlife with remarkable accuracy.
As explained in a summary posted on Phys.org, the team used images captured by drones and statistical modeling to document over 41,000 giant South American river turtles along the Guapore River, which runs through Brazil and Bolivia.
The drones helped create orthomosaics, which are hundreds of overlapping photographs stitched together by a computer program. This helped researchers track turtle numbers without disturbing the habitat.
Over 12 days, the drone captured thousands of images to supplement the work of observers on the ground to estimate the turtle population.
Ismael Black, one of the study's authors, noted there were other possibilities for the research. He said, "Although the method is used to count turtles, it could be applied to other species."
The giant South American river turtle is also known as the Tartaruga-da-amazônia ("Amazon turtle") in Brazil. It's one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world, and it spends the vast majority of its life in the water; females only leave to lay eggs.
While the adult turtles don't have much to worry about, the hatchlings are vulnerable to predators and poaching.
As an article by Permian Global states, the once plentiful turtles' numbers dwindled dramatically in the 1800s. Between 1848 and 1859, approximately 48 million eggs were gathered annually by locals for export to Europe. Their numbers have since rebounded, but they're still at risk.
The study demonstrates the benefits of employing technology in conservation efforts.
Similar key insights were gained from deploying tiny "backpacks" on hummingbirds in South America. Another example is the efforts to use drones to protect the plants that declining numbers of monarch butterflies depend on to survive. Trail cameras are another key tool used to form conservation strategies for the most elusive species.
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The insights gained can also serve as a catalyst for raising public awareness of a threatened species and its specific needs.
In this instance, the study mentioned the importance of protecting the breeding grounds: "The estimated number of females in this study confirms the utmost importance of this site for the conservation of the species."
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