NASA wildlife conservation protects animals via satellites
“NASA wildlife conservation” seems like an unusual mix of space exploration and animal protection. Nevertheless, it is an important innovation as global warming and other factors threaten numerous species.
Genesis 2:15 in the Bible says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
READ: Why ‘big threats’ don’t faze Dumaliang sisters in saving Masungi
What better way to watch over nature than with a literal eye beyond the sky? Check out how we preserve animal life with the latest space tech.
How does the NASA wildlife conversation work?
Today is @UN #BiodiversityDay. 🌏
— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) May 22, 2024
Tigers, jaguars, and elephants are a few of the vulnerable animals whose habitats @NASA is helping track from space. Mapping wildlife habitats with satellites helps scientists see changes to endangered creatures as their habitats shrink. https://t.co/VF9fFoK5Jj
NASA uses satellites to watch over areas with endangered species. On May 2, 2024, it explained how it protects tigers, jaguars, and elephants.
“Satellites observe vast areas of Earth’s surface on daily to weekly schedules,” said Keith Gaddis, ecological conservation program manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
“That helps scientists monitor habitats that would be logistically challenging and time-consuming to survey from the ground – crucial for animals like tigers that roam large territories,” he added.
The space agency says tigers lost 93% of their historical range, and only 3,700 to 5,500 remain. In response, NASA wildlife conversation uses the following technologies for near-real-time habitat monitoring:
- Landsat satellites
- Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Imagers
- Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS)
These devices spotted forests suitable for tigers. Scientists said these could “increase the land base for tigers by 50%.
“There’s still a lot more room for tigers in the world than even tiger experts thought,” said Eric Sanderson, the president of urban conservation at the New York Botanical Garden.
NASA also did the same for jaguars, providing valuable data for wildlife conservationists. Sebastian Martinuzzi, the associate scientist from the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology, stated:
“Managers and conservationists could use the new spatial information to see where current forest zoning is protecting key animals and where it may need reevaluation.”
Bhutan also uses NASA wildlife conservation data to protect endangered Asian elephants. The country maps suitable habitats for these gentle creatures to save them from extinction.
