Satellite Imagery for Habitat Mapping
Virunga National Parks, Africa
Conservation requires work at many levels, from locally to internationally and involves protection and law enforcement as well as research and education. Active conservation involves frequent patrols in wildlife areas to guard the park from poachers, to enforce laws, census counts in regions of breeding and protection of habitats.
Virunga National Park contains the greatest diversity of habitats of any park in Africa, from steppes, savannas and lava plains, swamps, lowland and forests to volcanoes. Hippopotamuses and elephants live in the park's rivers and its mountains are a critical area for the survival of the mountain and lowland gorillas.
Conservation requires work at many levels, from locally to internationally and involves protection and law enforcement as well as research and education. Active conservation involves frequent patrols in wildlife areas to guard the park from poachers, to enforce laws, census counts in regions of breeding and protection of habitats. Watch CNN Video on Virunga Parks Conservation.
For example, gorilla habitat crosses three different regions, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, satellite imagery and GIS map data can create a convenient method for exchanging information among the three parks that make up the Virunga conservation area. High resolution satellite sensors can monitor the migration of various species utilizing satellite sensor with suitable resolution. The WorldView-3 satellite sensor provides 30cm panchromatic and 1.2m 8-band multispectral resolution satellite map and produces good results for wildlife monitoring.
3D Terrain Model (DTM) Visoke Volcano, DRC and Rwanda, Africa
(Image Copyright © DigitalGlobe and Processed by by Satellite Imaging Corp.)
Along with habitat mapping and monitoring changes in forest cover, a time-sensitive series of satellite images can allow researchers and scientists to estimate rates and patterns of deforestation in and around protected areas. These patterns are also studied in relation to trends in human migration.
| Left Image Landsat TM5 (28.5 meter resolution) August 7, 1987 | Right Image IKONOS (1 meter resolution) June 6, 2006 |
Satellite Imaging Corporation seamless orthorectified satellite map mosaics, DEMs and 3D digital terrain models for habitat mapping, conservation and to support researchers using CAD and GIS map applications utilizing high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.
