Thermal Drones Unlock Secrets of Australia’s Rarest Forest Animals
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: Drones equipped with thermal cameras are revolutionizing wildlife monitoring in Australian forests, detecting elusive nocturnal species like the critically endangered Leadbeater’s possum and endangered greater glider to inform better conservation decisions.
📈 One key stat: Thermal drones can survey approximately ten times more area in the same timeframe as traditional spotlighting teams, significantly improving efficiency in wildlife monitoring.
💬 One key quote: “While drones will not entirely replace all ground-based surveys, they vastly improve the scale and detail of our wildlife observations.”
1️⃣ The big picture: Australian researchers have successfully employed drones with thermal cameras to monitor some of Australia’s most threatened nocturnal forest wildlife. This innovative approach detected all nine expected tree-dwelling mammal species in the study areas, including the critically endangered Leadbeater’s possum and the endangered southern greater glider. Traditional monitoring methods like spotlighting can be slow, labor-intensive, and potentially dangerous in steep or dense forests. The thermal drone surveys proved far more efficient, covering roughly ten times the area a ground team could survey in the same time frame while documenting over 4,000 animals in additional surveys.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: This technology enables researchers to collect vital data about populations shrinking due to habitat loss, forest fires, and climate change, informing more effective conservation strategies. The drones can detect species that are difficult to monitor with other remote sensing techniques, such as greater gliders that rarely vocalize and can’t be attracted to baited camera traps. Most observed animals don’t seem disturbed by the drones overhead, unlike with traditional spotlighting where animals typically freeze when illuminated. The ongoing research will help guide critical forest management decisions including where to conduct prescribed burns, establish fire breaks, and how to protect key habitats from future disturbance.
3️⃣ What’s next: Researchers will continue analyzing over 100 additional drone surveys to explore questions about wildlife behavior and habitat use. The study will examine whether specialist species like greater gliders use younger forests for foraging and how they respond to forest edges. Scientists are also researching potential behavioral impacts of drone monitoring compared to traditional ground methods.
Read the full story here: The Conversation – Drones with thermal cameras are revealing the secrets of elusive Australian forest wildlife
