Acoustic sensors enable efficient and non-invasive monitoring of a wide range of species, including many that are difficult to monitor in other ways. Although they were initially limited in application scope largely due to cost and hardware constraints, the development of low-cost, open-source models like the Audiomoth in recent years has increased access immensely and opened up new avenues of research. For example, some teams are using them to identify illicit human activities through the detection of associated sounds, like gunshots, vehicles, or chainsaws (e.g. OpenEars).
With this relatively novel dimension of wildlife monitoring rapidly advancing in both marine and terrestrial systems, it is crucial that we identify and share information about the utility and constraints of these sensors to inform efforts. A recent study identified advancements in hardware and machine learning applications, as well as early development of acoustic biodiversity indicators, as factors facilitating progress in the field. In terms of limitations, the authors highlight insufficient reference sound libraries, a lack of open-source audio processing tools, and a need for standardization of survey and analysis protocols. They also stress the importance of collaboration in moving forward, which is precisely what this group will aim to facilitate.
If you're new to acoustic monitoring and want to get up to speed on the basics, check out these beginner's resources and conversations from across the WILDLABS platform:
Three Resources for Beginners:
- Listening to Nature: The Emerging Field of Bioacoustics, Adam Welz
- Ecoacoustics and Biodiversity Monitoring, RSEC Journal
- Monitoring Ecosystems through Sound: The Present and Future of Passive Acoustics, Ella Browning and Rory Gibb
Three Forum Threads for Beginners:
- AudioMoth user guide | Tessa Rhinehart
- Audiomoth and Natterjack Monitoring (UK) | Stuart Newson
- Help with analysing bat recordings from Audiomoth | Carlos Abrahams
Three Tutorials for Beginners:
- "How do I perform automated recordings of bird assemblages?" | Carlos Abrahams, Tech Tutors
- "How do I scale up acoustic surveys with Audiomoths and automated processing?" | Tessa Rhinehart, Tech Tutors
- Acoustic Monitoring | David Watson, Ruby Lee, Andy Hill, and Dimitri Ponirakis, Virtual Meetups
Want to know more about acoustic monitoring and learn from experts in the WILDLABS community? Jump into the discussion in our Acoustic Monitoring group!
Header image: Carly Batist
- @ldbraunholtz
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(Tropical) forest ecologist w interest: biodiversity, camera traps, community led conservation & more. Passionate about inclusive nature for all.
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- @Riley
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I'm a Data Scientist at Western EcoSystems Technology. I am interested in AI processing and statistical modeling of acoustic data and camera trap and drone imagery.
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- 5 Groups
- @jscanass
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University College London (UCL) & Red Ecoacústica Colombiana
PhD Student at UCL
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- 8 Groups
- @Gathoni
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PhD Candidate at Nottingham Trent University, UK. Ecologist with a passion for wildlife conservation and conservation technology with foundational training in BSc and MSc Rangeland Management (Ecology option). Current project: Use of acoustics to monitor ecosystem restoration.
- 5 Resources
- 8 Discussions
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Develops acoustics for cetacean and bat monitoring: F-POD, C-POD, BatBug
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- 2 Discussions
- 3 Groups
Open Acoustic Devices
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- @AlexBats
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- 6 Groups
- @nicktechs
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creative technologist
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- 2 Groups
Wildlife Protection Solutions (WPS)
Director of Technology at Wildlife Protection Solutions. Primarily focuses on leveraging machine learning and advanced data analytics to combat poaching, monitor biodiversity, and predict environmental threats.
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- 1 Discussions
- 5 Groups
Arribada Initiative
Director at Arribada, a UK-based conservation technology research & development organisation
- 2 Resources
- 98 Discussions
- 12 Groups
- @Sasi
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I am a researcher working on non-human primates in southern India
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Careers
Acoustic Monitoring Biologist (Avian)
Jerry Cole
The Institute for Bird Populations (IBP) seeks a biologist to assist with an autonomous recording unit (ARU) bird monitoring project at California off-highway vehicle recreation parks and other ARU monitoring projects...
19 October 2022
Link
"We develop the use of benthic species as animal oceanographers by combining archival (depth, temperature) data from animal-borne tags, passive acoustic telemetry & citizen-science mark-recapture records for the...
10 October 2022
Careers
Open Position at Cornell - Software/Firmware Developer
Holger Klinck
The Yang Center is seeking a Software/Firmware Developer responsible for designing, developing, improving, and maintaining embedded systems to acquire and process bioacoustic data. The
6 October 2022
Article
Audio Across Domains Workshop 2022
Tessa Rhinehart
A collaborative and cross-disciplinary meeting of audio data scientists spawns creative research collaborations
3 October 2022
Link
Authors developed system to acoustically identify individual animals (under varying conditions) using combo of multi-scale information integration, multi-channel audio & multi-task learning. Tested on captive group...
3 October 2022
Link
'The low-power camera uses power from harvested acoustic energy and communicates colour images wirelessly via acoustic backscatter.' - https://twitter.com/NaturePortfolio/status/1574863768714100738?s=20&t=...
29 September 2022
Authors 'examined effectiveness of acoustic monitoring compared to capture-based & video monitoring of seasonal swarming behavior among Myotis bats in UK. The 3 approaches have advantages & disadvantages for...
27 September 2022
Link
Authors demonstrated "a low cost, simple method to support acoustic tag surveys by identifying tags both from direct acoustic recordings & by reconstructing code packets from processed C-POD data. Method was applied...
26 September 2022
Careers
The Senior Conservation Technology Specialist will be responsible for providing technical advice and capacity development to GWP project teams on conservation technology, distilling challenges and lessons from project...
22 September 2022
Link
Authors developed reproducible passive acoustic monitoring pipeline to rapidly provide baseline information on invasive alien species (IAS); found that IAS occurrence related to high levels of human disturbance.
21 September 2022
Link
Authors "developed a three-hydrophone passive acoustic monitoring system that provides bearing information along with marine mammal detections to allow for informed management decisions in real-time."
20 September 2022
June 2025
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Julia Wiel
July 2025
September 2025
October 2025
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Vanesa Reyes
November 2025
December 2023
November 2023
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Stephanie O'Donnell
61 Products
| Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Please find attached, a short note wherein we propose 03 postulates of soundscape ecology. The focus here is in soundscapes than sound of... |
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Acoustics | 6 years 3 months ago | |
| Dear colleagues, we are designing a study to document presence or absence of spider monkeys in forest fragments in western Ecuador. We... |
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Acoustics | 6 years 3 months ago | |
| Thanks! We also just posted info on the AVISONA 2019 event to the resources page for anyone who missed it and wants to learn more. |
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Acoustics | 6 years 3 months ago | |
| Forgot to say - if you are having trouble reformatting SDcards on Windows- the project suggests this programme http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/index.htm?guiformat.htm. |
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Acoustics | 6 years 4 months ago | |
| Over the past year I have been involved in a project trying to detect illegal fish bomb blasts in Tanzania using acoustics. We have 4 long... |
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Acoustics | 6 years 5 months ago | |
| Hi, I've made an initial attemp to design a 3D printed case for an audiomoth (with 3 x AAA battery pack) and have made it available... |
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Acoustics | 6 years 5 months ago | |
| Hi All, These are well-produced online introductory videos for the use of the Raven software for acoustic analyses. Really... |
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Acoustics | 6 years 5 months ago | |
| Hi all, We wanted to let you know that the AudioMoth is now available on LabMaker. LabMaker are a platform that sell open-source... |
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Acoustics | 6 years 8 months ago | |
| I love seeing how much this little device has taken off! |
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Acoustics | 6 years 9 months ago | |
| Hi Stephanie, thanks for the update above. We will be doing two things this week to support the community. To meet the demand from Round 3 we require an essential component (... |
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Acoustics | 7 years ago | |
| Hi all - WWF's upcoming Fuller Seminar will focus on biodiversity monitoring using acoustics. Instructions for remote participation are... |
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Acoustics | 7 years 1 month ago | |
| Hi everyone, we have received an update from GroupGets on the shipping of the second group purchase. 'Quick update everyone. The boards are scheduled to ship to us... |
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Acoustics | 7 years 3 months ago |
