Virtual reality is helping scientists to protect endangered jaguars
While gamers are definitely excited about the March release of the Oculus Rift headset, virtual reality could do a lot more. For example: Helping scientists build the case for "jaguar corridors" in remote corners of the Amazon.
Kerrie Mengersen, a professor at the Queensland University of Technology's School of Mathematical Sciences, led a recent expedition to jungle areas in Peru, South America looking for endangered jaguars. The animals are considered near-threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and their numbers are declining due to loss of habitat and other threats.
While in Peru, as well as collecting information from locals, the team recorded 360-degree videos and virtual reality experiences using multiple GoPros. The clips are aimed at engaging and educating the public, but they'll also be used as prompts to help global experts share their knowledge and build models of the rare animal's habits and movements.
IMAGE: VANESSA HUNTER
By viewing the virtual environments, scientists can share whether a jaguar would live in certain locations without actually having to travel to Peru. Potential signs of a jaguar population could include whether fruiting trees are present that could attract jaguar prey, or whether there is access to water or human habitation nearby.
"Often it's difficult to get into these places where the animals live," Mengersen told Mashable Australia. "Instead of taking experts out to those inaccessible places, we want to be able to bring those areas to the experts."
Using the videos, as well as mathematical and statistical modelling, the team hopes to determine which areas of Peruvian land could serve as potential jaguar corridors — an area of land the animals can use to travel between large areas of wilderness.
In order for jaguars to be protected, they need forest environments large enough in which to breed, live and hunt safely, Mengersen explained. Safe passages for the animals between those larger conservation environments are also a necessity across the length of South America.
IMAGE: VANESSA HUNTER
"The problem is then, if we want to create these corridors, what land do we buy?" she said. "You've got a lot of factors that come into play: You need sufficient prey, as well as protection from human hunting and logging."
Ultimately, the idea is to build an evidence base that can predict the impact on the animals if conservators were to build corridors in certain places. "People know a lot, and we want to be able to get at it in a way that's robust and informative," she said.
In Mengersen's view, virtual reality can make a real difference to ongoing conservation efforts. "We want the message to be: [Virtual reality] can be for more than the 'ooh aah' of the technology, but also the 'aha' of science," she said.
IMAGE: QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOG
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