Work

Round-the-Clock Intelligent Monitoring Technology with UAV to Improve the Efficiency and Quality of Monitoring the Population of Phoca largha

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The spotted seal (Phoca largha), the only pinniped species capable of natural breeding in Chinese waters, serves as a flagship species for the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea marine ecosystems. Changes in its population numbers are an important indicator of the status of the marine ecological environment. However, when using traditional monitoring methods, such as telescope inspections and routine unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography, it is difficult to accurately grasp the changes in spotted seal populations. Here, we document the use of infrared imaging with a UAV to facilitate round-the-clock monitoring of spotted seal numbers in a protected area. This approach revealed that late night and early morning (22:00–05:00) were peak times for their haul-out activity, with a maximum count of 166. This provides a new idea for the investigation and monitoring of marine mammals and the protection of marine ecosystems.

Source: Diversity

DOI: 10.3390/d17110777

Authors: Yue Zhang, Guoxiang Liao, Zhiguo Dou, Daoyan Xu, Shengjun Yan, Hengtao Bi

Institutions: National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Ministry of Ecology and Environment

Language: English

Topic: Marine animal studies overview

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,534