Wildlife observation


Wildlife observation is the practice of noting the occurrence or abundance of animal species at a specific location and time, either for research purposes or recreation. Common examples of this type of activity are bird watching and whale watching.
The process of scientific wildlife observation includes the reporting of what, where, when, who, and why. Wildlife observation can be performed if the animals are alive, with the most notable example being face-to-face observation and live cameras, or are dead, with the primary example being the notifying of where roadkill has occurred. This outlines the basic information needed to collect data for a wildlife observation; which can also contribute to scientific investigations of distribution, habitat relations, trends, and movement of wildlife species.
Wildlife observation allows for the study of organisms with minimal disturbance to their ecosystem depending on the type of method or equipment used. The use of equipment such as unmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly known as drones, may disturb and cause negative impacts on wildlife. Specialized equipment can be used to collect more accurate data.

History

Wildlife observation is believed to have traced its origins to the rule of Charles II of England when it was first instituted in 1675 at the Royal Observatory in present-day Greenwich, part of London. In modern times, it has been practiced as an observance of wildlife species monitored in areas of vast wilderness.

Wildlife tracking

Importance

Through wildlife observation, there are many important details that can be discovered about the environment. For instance, if a fisher in Taiwan discovers that a certain species of fish he/she frequently catches is becoming rarer and rarer, there might be a substantial issue in the water that fisher is fishing in. It could be that there is a new predator in the water that has changed the animal food chain, a source of pollution, or perhaps even a larger problem. Regardless of the reason, this process of observing animals can help identify potential issues before they become severe problems in the world.
Additionally, through animal observation, those who participate are also actively participating in the conservation of animal life. Oftentimes, the two subjects go hand-in-hand with one another because through the observation of animals, individuals are also discovering what issues animals around the world are currently facing and if there are any ways to put up a fight against them. With more observation, fewer species of animals will become extinct.

Research

Before one can get started observing wildlife and helping the environment, it is important to research the animal they are choosing to observe. If one simply went into the observation process and skipped the crucial process of obtaining knowledge about the animals, it would be difficult for them to determine if anything was out of the ordinary. Before observing, it would be wise to find out simple information about the animal such as:
  • What the animal eats - Is the animal a carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore?
  • What animals prey on the animal?
  • Where does the animal live?
  • Is the animal dangerous?
  • Is it endangered?
  • Does the animal travel in packs or alone?
  • What are the animal's sleeping habits?

    Projects and programs devoted to wildlife observation

Projects

There are a variety of projects and websites devoted to wildlife observations. One of the most common projects are for bird observations. For those who enjoy bird watching, there are a variety of ways one can contribute to this type of wildlife observation. The National Wildlife Refuge System has volunteer opportunities, citizen science projects, and if one is limiting in time; could purchase a Federal Duck Stamp that donates money to the wildlife refuge lands. In the past few years, websites dedicated to reporting wildlife across broad taxonomic ranges have become available. For example, the provides a mechanism for citizen-scientists in California to report wildlife species killed by vehicles. The allows reporting of observations of both dead and live animals along roads. A more recent addition to wildlife observation tools are the web sites that facilitate uploading and management of images from remote wildlife cameras. For example, the Smithsonian Institution supports the and programs, which provide a mechanism for volunteer deployment of wildlife cameras around the world. Similarly, the hosts over a dozen wildlife-camera projects from around the world, providing tools and a database to manage photographs and camera networks.

Monitoring programs

Monitoring programs for wildlife utilize new and easier ways to monitor animal species for citizen scientists and research scientists alike. One such monitoring device is the automated recorder. Automated recorders are a reliable way to monitor species such as bird, bats, and amphibians as they provide ability to save and independently identify a specific animal call. The automated recorder analyzes the sounds of the species to identify the species and how many there are. It was found that using the automated recorders produced larger quantity and even more quality data when compared with traditional, point-count data recording. While providing better quality, it also provides a permanent record of the census which can be continually reviewed for any potential bias. This monitoring device can improve wildlife observation and potentially save more animals. Using this device can allow for continued tracking of populations, continued censusing of individuals within a species, and allow for faster population size estimates.

Live watching and observation

Birdwatching

One of the most popular forms of wildlife observation, birdwatching, is typically performed as a recreational pleasure. Those looking to birdwatch typically travel into a forest or other wooded area with a pair of binoculars in hand to aid the process. Birdwatching has become all the more important with the amount of deforestation that has been occurring in the world. Birds are arguably the most important factor in the balance of environmental systems: "They pollinate plants, disperse seeds, scavenge carcasses and recycle nutrients back into the earth." A decrease in the total number of birds would cause destruction to much of the environmental system. The plants and trees around the world would die at an alarming rate which would, in turn, set off a chain reaction that would cause many other animals to die due to the environment change and habitat loss.
One of the ways that birdwatching has an effect on the environment as a whole is that through consistent birdwatching, an observer would be able to identify whether they are seeing less of a certain species of bird. If this happens, there typically is a reasons for the occurrence, whether it be because of an increase in pollution in the area or possibly an increase in the population of predators. If a watcher were to take notice of a change in what they typically see, they could notify the city or park and allow them to investigate into the cause a bit further. Through this action, birdwatchers are preserving the future for both animal and human life.
Subsequently, by taking children birdwatching it is allowing the future generation to understand the importance of animal observation. If children learn at a young age how the environmental system works and that all life is intertwined, the world will be in much better hands. These children will be the ones pioneer conservation movements and attempt to protect the habit for all animals.

Livestreams

Live streams of animal exhibits at various zoos and aquariums across the United States have also become extremely popular, along with live-streaming webcams located in various natural habitats, such as wildlife refuges and bird nests. The Tennessee Aquarium has a webcam that allows online viewers to take a look into the happening so their Secret Reef exhibit which consists of reef fish, sharks, and a rescued green sea turtle.
Perhaps the most popular animals cams in the United States though come from, naturally, the largest zoo in the United States: The San Diego Zoo. The San Diego Zoo features eight live cams on their website – A panda, elephant, ape, penguin, polar bear, tiger, condor, and koala. The purpose of the live streams is to help educate the public about the behaviors of several different animals and to entertain those who might not be able to travel to a zoo.
The other notable zoos that have webcams are the National Zoo, Woodland Park Zoo, Houston Zoo, and Atlanta Zoo.
Additionally, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has opened a butterfly and plant observation pavilion. Visitors walk into a large tent and experience a one-of-a-kind situation in which hundreds of rare butterflies from all across the world are inches from their faces.

Collecting data

As is the case with a majority of subjects, one of the best and most effective ways to observe live animals is through data collection. This process can be done through a livestream or in the wild but it is more useful if the data is collected on animals that are in currently in the wild. The ways the data can be collected are endless and it really just depends on what purpose an individual has as to what data would be the most useful.
For example, if someone is interested in how deer interact with other animals in a certain location, it would be beneficial for them to take notes and record all of the animals that are native to the area where the deer are located. From there, they can describe any scenarios in which the deer had a positive or negative interaction with the other species of animals. In this instance, it would not really be helpful for the observer to collect data pertaining to the types of food the deer eat because the study is only focusing on the interaction amongst animals.
Another example of how collecting data on wildlife would be useful is keeping track of the total number of a certain species exists within a forest. Naturally, it will be impossible to get a definitive number but if an accurate approximation can be made, it could be beneficial in determining if there has been a random increase or decrease in the population. If there is an increase, it could be due to a change in the species migration habits and if there is a decrease, it could be due to an external factor such as pollution or introduction of a new predator.