Polar bears from space: assessing satellite imagery as a tool to track Arctic wildlife

Development of efficient techniques for monitoring wildlife is a priority in the Arctic, where the impacts of climate change are acute and remoteness and logistical constraints hinder access. We evaluated high resolution satellite imagery as a tool to track the distribution and abundance of polar be...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2014-07, Vol.9 (7), p.e101513
Main Authors: Stapleton, Seth, LaRue, Michelle, Lecomte, Nicolas, Atkinson, Stephen, Garshelis, David, Porter, Claire, Atwood, Todd
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abundance
Aerial surveys
Animal Distribution
Animals
Arctic Regions
Biology and Life Sciences
Climate change
Computer and Information Sciences
Confidence intervals
Conservation biology
Earth science
Earth Sciences
Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Endangered & extinct species
Female
Fisheries
Geospatial data
Hypothesis testing
Image resolution
Islands
Marine mammals
Northern communities
Nunavut
Odobenus rosmarus
Polar bear
Polar bears
Polar environments
Population
Remote sensing
Satellite Imagery
Satellite tracking
Satellites
Ursidae - physiology
Ursus maritimus
Wildlife
Wildlife conservation
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Summary:Development of efficient techniques for monitoring wildlife is a priority in the Arctic, where the impacts of climate change are acute and remoteness and logistical constraints hinder access. We evaluated high resolution satellite imagery as a tool to track the distribution and abundance of polar bears. We examined satellite images of a small island in Foxe Basin, Canada, occupied by a high density of bears during the summer ice-free season. Bears were distinguished from other light-colored spots by comparing images collected on different dates. A sample of ground-truthed points demonstrated that we accurately classified bears. Independent observers reviewed images and a population estimate was obtained using mark-recapture models. This estimate (N: 94; 95% Confidence Interval: 92-105) was remarkably similar to an abundance estimate derived from a line transect aerial survey conducted a few days earlier (N: 102; 95% CI: 69-152). Our findings suggest that satellite imagery is a promising tool for monitoring polar bears on land, with implications for use with other Arctic wildlife. Large scale applications may require development of automated detection processes to expedite review and analysis. Future research should assess the utility of multi-spectral imagery and examine sites with different environmental characteristics.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0101513