Estimating the population size of one of the largest animal aggregations in the world
Ephemeral Resource Adaptations Research Group
What’s the project about? One of the largest animal aggregations in the world occurs in Kasanka National Park in Zambia each year. In late October, millions of migratory fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) descend on a swamp in this park every year. These bats are essential seed dispersers, helping to maintain and regenerate forests across sub-Saharan Africa. However, estimating the total population size and monitoring potential declines is challenging using standard surveying approaches. Using a deep neural network, we designed a pipeline to count the population through a series of cameras placed around the colony. As methods for machine learning have improved, we would like a highly motivated student to work with us to update this method to faster and more versitile techniques. This method will then be used to estimate the population size of this colony over several years to determine how this population may have changed between years.
Who can apply? The project is open to BSc students
