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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- @douggillespie
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Fauna & Flora
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University of Cambridge & Imperial College London
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I am a Senior researcher and PI in Conservation and Animal Ecology at Fondazione Edmund Mach, Trento, Italy. I am coordinator of EUROMAMMALS, member of the advisory board of the Global Initiative on Ungulate Migration at CMS, and President of the International Bio-Logging Society
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Careers
Job: Conservation Technology Specialist (PT)
Ann Turiano
To assist with creative research project in the DC/VA/MD region
6 January 2023
Careers
Job: maker / workshop technician
Duncan Wilson
We are looking for someone who enjoys the craft of making to come and help run our London based lab.
5 January 2023
Careers
PhD - Sensory ecology of vespine wasps
Duncan Wilson
a technology-led solution to understanding the honeybees of the wasp world
8 December 2022
Link
Acoustic survey data is used to estimate the diversity of critically endangered amphibians in the fragmented forests of Madagascar.
28 November 2022
Link
WILDLABS Digest: 4 November 2022
Stephanie O'Donnell
A new issue of our community digest just went out! Check it out to discover a big platform update, and a summary of all the latest content from across WILDLABS in one easy to scan place!
4 November 2022
Article
New conservation tech articles from Mongabay
Carly Batist
Five articles that include conservation tech published at Mongabay
20 October 2022
Careers
Conservation Technology Intern (Vietnam)
Stephanie O'Donnell and 1 more
*New closing date!* WILDLABS and Fauna & Flora International are seeking an early career conservationist for 12-month paid internship position to grow and support the Southeast Asia regional community in our global...
19 October 2022
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
August 2025
event
Louisa Richmond-Coggan
September 2025
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event
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November 2025
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November 2022
event
Wildlife Acoustics
event
Carly Batist
64 Products
Recently updated products
| Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I love seeing how much this little device has taken off! |
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Acoustics | 7 years 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 3 months 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 4 months 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 6 months ago | |
| Thanks for that Steph - and for the link in included. A good set of papers there, and the review by Shonfield & Bayne on 'current use and future... |
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Acoustics | 7 years 7 months ago | |
| Good news indeed, Al! I think a new thread is definitely a good idea - this one is getting rather unwieldy. @nilaksha, you might check out @Jan+Kees 's serval... |
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Acoustics | 7 years 8 months ago | |
| Great. Let's continue our discussion that through Skype ;-) My skype name is jkschakel and you can email me at jankees.schakel@sensingclues.com. I'm available on... |
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Acoustics | 7 years 9 months ago | |
| Paul, Hi - is this still needed, as I'm sure we could provide something relating to birds, bats and cetaceans? Thanks, Carlos |
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Acoustics | 7 years 10 months ago | |
| Steffen, Thanks for that tip-off, I'd not seen that paper before. One of the speakers at my bird bioacoustics meeting in July covered soundscape ecology, with some... |
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Acoustics | 7 years 10 months ago | |
| In an effort to learn more about my group's members, I would like to pose a challenge to all of you. I would like to challenge each of... |
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Acoustics | 7 years 11 months ago | |
| Wow, this would be amazing to continue on with the years of data I have from tigers! I understand their social lives are very different but it would be interesting to see what... |
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Acoustics | 7 years 11 months ago | |
| 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 |
