Detection of vocalizations of different mammal species on forest clearings in the Congo

Ema Cehelská

Bakalářská práce

Abstract:

This thesis focuses on using acoustic recording devices to survey vocally active mammal species on four different forest clearings, so called bais, in the Messok-Dja wildlife conservation area located in the Republic of Congo. One AudioMoth recording device was placed on each of the four clearings during springtime for the duration of approximately 30 days. One additional recording session on the Dibo bai took place in autumn. The obtained audio files were sorted and labelled manually. This process found 5 instances of gunfire and 366 instances of vocal activity of animals. The vocalizations came from 4 species of mammals: mantled guerezas (Colobus guereza), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), and African forest elephants (Loxodonta africana). The obtained data was used to create graphs comparing diel activity patterns of observed mammals. Additional data from a camera trap study concurrently conducted at the Dibo bai was used for comparison of activity patterns. The results of this thesis can serve as a reference for future acoustic monitoring projects in Messok-Dja. The recorded vocalizations can also be used as training data for potential automation of the identification process.

Keywords

biodiversity, bioacoustics, monitoring

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 27. 3. 2024

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: Mgr. Tomáš Jůnek, Ph.D.
• Oponent: Irena Schneiderová, externi

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta životního prostředí

Bakalářský studijní program:
Aplikovaná ekologie