Thermal drone monitoring: first records of coendou baturitensis
Keywords:
Fauna survey, urchin, thermal sensorAbstract
Technological advances have enabled new methods for surveying fauna, such as the use of drones. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of drones with thermal sensors in detecting Coendou baturitensis, an arboreal rodent popularly known as porcupine. Carried out in the municipality of Mulungu, in a fragment of the Atlantic Forest located in the Caatinga biome, the study involved three night flights, totaling 43 minutes (0.7 hours) of flight time. During this period, three individuals of Coendou baturitensis were recorded, with an encounter rate of 4.28 individuals per hour. The results demonstrate the efficiency of thermal drones for detecting and monitoring this species. Despite its proven effectiveness, we recommend conducting comparative studies with other fauna monitoring methods to validate and improve this technique.
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