An Amazon research institute has begun testing a groundbreaking system that employs real-time acoustic and optical monitoring to alert authorities more quickly to biodiversity losses caused by deforestation, dam construction or other land-use changes. Researchers monitoring wildlife in Brazil and elsewhere typically have employed camera traps, in which cameras are activated when heat and motion sensors detect the presence of animals. This method involves regular visits to remote sites in order to retrieve the images and recharge the cameras. Another frequently used method—also labor-intensive and time consuming—is to mount radio transmitters on animals and track them by satellite. The new system, being tested at 10 sites in a protected area in the western Amazon state of Amazonas, has involved development... [Log in to read more]