Habitat Mapping Virunga National Parks, DRC, Africa

Satellite Imagery for Habitat Mapping

Virunga National Parks, DRC, 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 against poachers, 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, lowlands, 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.

Watch CNN Video on Virunga Parks Conservation.

View news article on Satellite Imagery and GIS Technology Improve Wildlife Conservation in Virunga National Parks, Africa

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 sensors with a suitable resolution. The WorldView-3 satellite sensor provides a 30cm panchromatic and 1.2-meter 8-band multispectral resolution satellite map and produces good results for wildlife monitoring.

3D Terrain Model (DTM) Visoke Volcano, DRC and Rwanda, Africa

To view a 3D Flythrough of Virunga National Parks Africa, click here.

(Image Copyright © MAXAR 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.

Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, Africa

(Image Copyright © MAXAR and Processed by by Satellite Imaging Corp.)

Satellite Imaging Corporation provides seamless orthorectified satellite image mosaics, DEMs 3D digital terrain models for habitat mapping, and conservation. Satellite imagery and GIS supports researchers for mapping applications utilizing high and medium resolution mono and stereo satellite image data.