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
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News about a population survey of California Spotted Owls using 1,600 autonomous recording units in the Sierra Nevada region. Machine learning made analyzing this acoustic data possible at this large scale for the first...
29 August 2023
Careers
Reviewing Now: Animal Telemetry Postdoctoral Fellowship
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution seeks a field- and data-oriented biologist to support marine animal telemetry research and to assist with activities of the Atlantic Cooperative Telemetry (ACT) Network.
24 August 2023
Careers
RFCx/Arbimon is hiring a Quantitative Ecologist!
Carly Batist
Apply to work on a wonderful team translating acoustic monitoring data into conservation & ecological insights!
11 August 2023
Link
This article discusses Cornell's bioacoustics work with AI tools to recognize both elephant "voices" as well as gunshots. The elephant rumbles analyzed in this work are almost imperceptible to the human ear, but can be...
9 August 2023
Article
#Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge: Judges' Panel Honorees
WILDLABS Team
Please join us in celebrating this year’s top #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge Honorees as chosen by our panel of leading conservation organization judges, and enjoy the story contained within these entries about how our...
4 August 2023
Careers
Senior Technical Specialist, Monitoring & Technology, ZSL
Anthony Dancer
Exciting opportunity for an experienced biodiversity monitoring expert in ZSL's conservation department
18 July 2023
Article
New Updates to Carbon Mapper Data Portal
Stephanie O'Donnell
Global methane data and new functionaity on the Carbon Mapper Data Portal
12 July 2023
Careers
RFCx/Arbimon is Hiring a Data Scientist!
Carly Batist
Apply to work with an absolutely all-star group developing AI/ML techniques and models for acoustic monitoring!
28 June 2023
Article
Request for proposals - Biodiversity + tech solutions
Anna Colquhoun
The GSMA ClimateTech programme
21 June 2023
Careers
Job opportunity in Leiden, The Netherlands
9 June 2023
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Wildlife Monitoring Engineer
Tom August
Permanent and Full Time role at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
8 June 2023
Funding
Field Inclusive, Inc. is offering a $2000 travel award to students to attend bird-focused conferences, workshops, and trainings. Interested acoustic monitoring community members should apply by July 31st for...
2 June 2023
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September 2025
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| Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hi everyone, I happened upon this community on Twitter and I thought it would be the perfect place to post about the Wildlife... |
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Acoustics | 8 years 2 months ago | |
| Hi guys, interesting discussion. As you may have read, we are developing an elephant-detector (to avoid HWC's). The technology we are using (neural networks) can... |
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Acoustics | 8 years 2 months ago | |
| Hi Bhavesh - thanks a lot. WildLabs doesn't allow me to upload .wav files - can I email you or get them to you another way? They are small - 2 seconds each. You... |
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Acoustics | 8 years 4 months ago | |
| sorry, double entry |
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Acoustics | 8 years 9 months ago | |
| Hello Courtney My turn to apologies for delay. Your study sounds very interesting and potentially a valuable technique for future in-situ research. Seems it could indeed fit... |
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Acoustics | 8 years 11 months ago | |
| Great survey idea, Rory! I am completing it for my organization now so you should see another form input shortly. |
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Acoustics | 9 years ago | |
| For those who are interested in this thread, Arik has posted his new prototype in a new thread, where the discussion has continued. |
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Acoustics | 9 years 1 month ago | |
| Hi Tiago, Thank you for sharing this paper and contributing your experience to the thread. Blantant self promotion, as you put it, is more than welcome when the work... |
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Acoustics | 9 years 3 months ago | |
| The Elephant Listening Project at the University of Cornell is looking a Postdoctoral research to study forest elephants in central Africa using a combination of field... |
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Acoustics | 9 years 5 months ago | |
| Like many scientists, I am addicted to learning as much information about my field as possible. That being said - does anyone have any... |
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Acoustics | 9 years 6 months ago | |
| Excerpted from an article available via Alberta Farm Press (opens in new window). "A University of Alberta... |
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Acoustics | 9 years 6 months ago | |
| This special issue of Ecological Informatics, entitled Ecological Acoustics, is a great overview of the applicatoins of acoustic... |
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Acoustics | 9 years 7 months ago |
