Save the Elephants incorporates PCI Geomatics software solutions to enhance mission objectives
Written by PCI Geomatics
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
Richmond Hill, Ontario - May 29, 2007: PCI Geomatics, a world-leading developer of image centric software and solutions for the geospatial industry, is pleased to donate its premiere software suite Geomatica® to assist the Save the Elephants (STE) organization in Africa.
Geomatica will be used to process and analyze satellite imagery to help understand the movement and ranging behaviour of elephants and to answer questions about habitat locations.
Save the Elephants was founded by zoologist Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton in 1993 and is a non-governmental charitable organization located in Kenya. The STE pioneered the use of GSM-GPS tracking collars which record and report an elephant's position every hour. As such, the STE has a database with over one million recorded elephant positions, and has compiled incredible ranging behaviour not previously observed. The data has provided an unprecedented look at the ranging behaviour of elephants in Kenya, South Africa and Mali.
"We (STE) are using Geomatica 10 to classify multi-spectral imagery to look at land use and vegetation types in relation to elephant movements across varied and mosaicked landscapes. High-resolution aerial photos and satellite imagery are being used to map the presence of human settlements in the range of the elephants in both Mali and Kenya," said Jake Wall, Research Scientist at Save the Elephants. "We are also using the Geomatica radar tools to experiment with using radar imagery for mapping livestock corridors in areas vital to the survival of the desert elephants of Mali. Using a wide variety of data inputs we can model and eventually understand the behaviour and spatial needs of elephants."
Save the Elephants will be using Geomatica for orthorectifying historic aerial photos for comparison against current aerial photography, and assessment of vegetation degradation. It will also be used to process and analyze Fine Beam Radar imagery acquired over Mali to map human settlements in the range of elephants. Utilizing thermal imagery, Geomatica will help identify water sources, as well as supervised classification of vegetation using Landsat/Aster imagery in areas of key importance to elephants.
"PCI Geomatics is thrilled to donate its software to such noble organizations like Save the Elephants," said, Alysia Vetter, Marketing Communications Specialist at PCI Geomatics. "By using Geomatica, STE will be able to convert their vast amounts of imagery into useable information for their crusade."
The future of elephants in Africa depends on a sound scientific understanding of their needs for space and resources. The information acquired will lead to a better long-term management plan for elephants in a rapidly changing ecosystem across Africa.
For additional information on Save the Elephants, visit www.savetheelephants.org.
About PCI Geomatics
PCI Geomatics is a world-leading developer of geospatial software, specializing in remote sensing, digital photogrammetry, spatial analysis, cartographic production, and, more recently, automated production systems. Today, with our trusted Geomatica® brand, PCI Geomatics provides all the image-centric solutions necessary to meet the expectations of a large and expanding industry. Since 1982, the company and its reputation have continued to grow as a result of innovative leadership, strong technology partnerships, active geomatics community involvement, and a dedication to earn the trust of customers who use PCI Geomatics.
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