Tracking Cattle and Buffalo in Australia Using Space Technology
Summary:
- Scientists in Australia’s Arnhem Land collaborate with Indigenous rangers and stockmen to track over 1,000 cattle and buffalo using GPS tags and satellites from space.
- The innovative ‘SpaceCows’ project aims to understand herd movements, tackle environmental damage caused by these animals, and potentially revolutionize wildlife tracking globally.
- With Microsoft’s tech and Australian government support, this four-year initiative by CSIRO promises to blend traditional expertise with cutting-edge technology for better land management and conservation efforts.
In the wild and rugged terrain of northern Australia’s Arnhem Land, there’s a fascinating project taking place. Scientists, along with local stockmen and Indigenous rangers, are teaming up to use space technology to keep tabs on over 1,000 cattle and buffalo. Their goal? To understand how these animals move around and to make sure they’re not causing too much trouble for the environment.
The Challenge: Invisible Herds and Their Impact
Arnhem Land is home to around 22,000 buffalo, but no one’s quite sure about the exact number. This uncertainty means no one knows the extent of the damage these creatures might be causing to the land.
Steven Craig, who knows a lot about taking care of livestock, is worried about what these buffalo are up to.
He says,
“Seeing what these buffalos do to the country is devastating.”
These big animals, standing really tall and weighing a tonne, munch through lots of grass and plants. But it’s not just about eating; they accidentally ruin ancient rock art, trample on sacred places, and mess up important waterways that mean a lot to Indigenous communities.
The Team Effort: SpaceCows Initiative
Enter ‘SpaceCows,’ a super cool project that’s all about using fancy technology and teaming up with local experts. This big plan, running for four years and backed by the Australian government, hopes to change the way we look after herds in faraway places.
Working together with Indigenous rangers and stockmen, scientists are putting special GPS tags on these fast-moving animals. These tags send important information straight to satellites way up in space, orbiting 650 kilometres above the Earth. This information will help us understand how these herds move and act for up to two years.
The Tech Stuff: Microsoft’s Helping Hand
Behind the scenes, the clever folks at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) are teaming up with Microsoft. They’re using Microsoft’s cool tech called Azure to build a digital platform that understands tricky things like landscapes and weather in Australia’s tough northern areas.
Andrew Hoskins, a scientist working on this project, thinks it’s a big deal.
He says,
“There’s very little surveillance that happens in these areas. So, now we’re starting to build those data sets and that understanding of the baseline disease status of animals.“
The Big Impact: Managing Herds on a Global Scale
If all goes well, SpaceCows could be a game-changer in looking after herds from far away. Hoskins thinks it might be the biggest project ever when it comes to keeping an eye on wildlife or buffalo around the world.
This project doesn’t just help with taking care of these animals; it also helps keep an eye on diseases they might catch.
With SpaceCows leading the way, the hope is to reduce the damage these amazing animals might be causing while also keeping alive the traditions and stories linked to the land.
This amazing project shows how technology, local knowledge, and efforts to protect nature can all come together, shaping a better future for the wild landscapes of northern Australia.
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