Oystercatchers vs. Drones, Wildlife Monitoring Satellites, and the AJSU

NASA and NOAA satellite systems help scientists protect biodiversity on the remote Palmyra Atoll in the United States Minor Outlying Islands. In 2020, American scientific institutions launched an “animal internet” in a protected area rarely visited by humans. By tracking the movements of sharks, rays, crabs, seabirds, and other animals, scientists can assess the effectiveness of the protected area. They also monitor sea surface temperature, chlorophyll levels, and ocean current speed for climate change.

In Kenya’s Aberdare National Park, the AJSU anti-poaching unit employs former poachers from the local community to combat wildlife crime. The recruited scouts use their extensive knowledge of the forest and its inhabitants, along with understanding poaching techniques, to look for evidence of poaching and illegal logging. They focus their efforts in areas where the forest bongo and the black rhino are the most endangered species.

Oystercatchers at Queens, New York beaches are attacking drones used to scan for sharks and bathers. This aerial conflict between the birds and the machines raises concerns about the safety of shorebirds, as they aggressively pursue the buzzing drones to protect their young and nests. To address this issue, the drone launch site will be relocated away from the oystercatcher’s breeding area.