Animal Behaviour and Marine Protected Areas

CyberTracker was an invaluable tool for this paper on "Animal Counting Toolkit: a practical guide to small-boat surveys for estimating abundance of coastal marine mammals" by Rob Williams, Erin Ashe, Katie Gaut, Rowenna Gryba, Jeffrey E. Moore, Eric Rexstad, Doug Sandilands, Justin Steventon, Randall R. Reeves (2017). Endang Species Res.

Another paper on Killer Whales "Animal behaviour and marine protected areas: incorporating behavioural data into the selection of marine protected areas for an endangered killer whale population" by E. Ashe, D. P. Noren & R. Williams. Animal Conservation 13 (2010) 196–203.

Science Support within the South African National Parks Adaptive Management Framework

Kruger-Park-box

SANParks, which include 19 protected areas, varying in biodiversity and environmental gradients, require an adaptive management system in order to appropriately and effectively monitor and plan their parks. In order to do so, they tailor cybertracker to fit the various needs of their projects, which include accurate data collection, capacity building for non-literate employees, and support for local community projects.

Patterns of Alien Plant Distribution at Multiple Spatial Scales in a Large National Park: Implications for Ecology, Management and Monitoring

alien-box In Kruger National Park, Foxcroft et al. use data collected by rangers using CyberTracker devices to paint an accurate and detailed picture of alien plant distributions, in order to provide recommendations for more appropriate monitoring of plant species on different scales.

The Cape Peninsula Baboon Research Unit

The Cape Peninsula Baboon Research Unit is a collection of scientists focusing their research on baboons of the Cape Peninsula and surrounding areas. This research encompasses various aspects of baboon biology, including ecology,behaviour, genetics and evolution.

Thesis: The spatial ecology of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa: Towards improved management and conservation strategies by Tali Hoffman

Aerial Line Transect Surveys using Laser Range Finder

Procedures used by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to conduct aerial line transect surveys of pronghorn populations. CyberTracker is used with a Laser Rangefinder to capture data, which is then analysed using the Distance 5.0 software.

Defining Optimal Sampling Effort for Large-Scale Monitoring of Invasive Alien Plants: A Bayesian Method for Estimating the Abundance and Distribution

sampling-box Though large scale protected areas have become a crucial concept in conservation, the implementation of such projects are often constrained by cost. It becomes crucial, then, for parks to develop a cost-effective method of sampling which can serve the dual purpose of both monitoring and planning conservation areas. By using CyberTracker data collected in Kruger National Park, Hui et al. have compared various models of sampling in order to determine the most accurate and least effort intensive mode of gathering data.

Research and Monitoring of Sea Turtles

turtle-box

CyberTracker, GIS and Regional Database: New technology to help with the monitoring of sea turtles in Gamba.

Protected Area Boundaries as a Natural Filter of Plant Invasion from Surrounding Landscapes

kruger-box Data collected by rangers using CyberTracker devices has shown that invasive plants in Kruger National Park are propagated by flowing water coming from outside the park. This information can now be used to prioritize intervention areas, allowing for a more effective use of resources within the park.

Contacts Between Domestic Livestock and Wildlife at Kruger National Park Interface of the Republic of South Africa

cow-box Monitoring the interaction between wildlife and livestock is crucial in better understanding the spread of foot-and-mouth disease in South African cattle. In Kruger National Park, rangers using CyberTracker to record sightings have noticed trends in the seasonal and spatial movements of livestock and wildlife. Such findings are being used to better predict and interpret the transmission of such diseases, in order to mitigate it in the future.

A Hand-held, PDA Based System for Seabird Data Collection During Cetacean Surveys

Information on different species, especially top predators, are rarely collected simultaneously in an effective manner. The concurrent data collection - both in space and time - on birds and cetaceans (especially dolphins) may allow a better understanding of ecological linkages in the marine ecosystem.

Scientific Research