Albatross conservation

Client

Nigel Brothers and his team, with the support of the Humane Society International, have been investigating Albatross nesting grounds and behaviour for over 20 years.

Challenge

Albatross, a species of large seabird, is facing extinction due to various threats including marine pollution, climate change, longline and trawl fishing, invasive pests, and being hunted in the 1920s. To conserve these birds, Nigel and his team needed to identify and count Albatross nesting on the remote Senkaku Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Solution

Geoimage was commissioned by Nigel to provide high-resolution satellite imagery to identify and count the Albatross on the Senkaku Islands. Ground counting and aerial photography were not always feasible due to the birds' remote location, making satellite imagery the only count possible. Geoimage provided 30cm high-resolution satellite imagery from WorldView-3 over two epochs. The 25 sqkm imagery was orthorectified, pansharpened, and enhanced using natural and false colour.

Natural and false colour WorldView-3 30-cm resolution satellite imagery comparisons processed by Geoimage. 

Outcomes

With the support of Geoimage, Nigel and his team were able to formulate a more accurate Albatross count via comparisons of the different imagery swaths. This data allowed them to monitor the population and take necessary conservation measures to protect the species.

Benefits

Using satellite imagery for animal conservation is an important future direction for the field. Geoimage was grateful to assist Nigel and his team in supporting the Agreement on Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) by providing the necessary satellite imagery for population counting. The Albatross population could be monitored and protected through the accurate data provided by Geoimage's satellite imagery, which would be helpful in future conservation efforts.