Mining morphometrics and age from past survey photographs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Researchers often document wildlife surveys using images. These images contain data that can be used to understand alterative research objectives, even years after they were originally captured. We have developed a method to measure age and morphology (body size measurements and tusk size) from survey image databases and future surveys, without the availability of a known subject distance or a scale in each image. African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) serve as an ideal model species to develop a non-invasive, image-based morphometric methodology: as handling these animals is particularly invasive and expensive, involving anaesthesia and because of their IUCN 'vulnerable' status. We compare in situ measurements, taken during collaring events, to tusk-to-bo

SUBMITTER: Black CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6513526 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature