The utilisation of digital technologies for the tracking and monitoring of endangered wildlife for conservation purposes

Cloud-based positioning technologies play an important role in promoting sustainable ecosystem development, especially in the field of wildlife conservation. Through the use of advanced wireless and location-based technologies, researchers are able to monitor and analyse wildlife movement patterns, food sources, breeding cycles and habitats, which is essential for adapting conservation strategies, mitigating conflicts with human activities and identifying new threats.

The cloud-based positioning solution from u-blox, a leading global provider of positioning and wireless communication technologies and services, combines the CloudLocate service with the compact M10 GNSS module to effectively address several of the tracker's challenges.

This solution not only reduces the weight of the device and interference with normal animal behaviour, but also reduces the device's energy consumption and extends battery life through cloud-based processing. u-blox M10 technology platform is designed for small, low-power tracking devices with ultra-low power consumption, small form factor and high performance, making it ideally suited for devices with size or power constraints, such as wearable devices or small battery-powered tracking devices, such as wearables or small battery-powered The technology has already been used in real-world applications.

In practice, this technology has been used in a variety of wildlife conservation projects. For example, in Antarctica, scientists are using this technology to monitor the diving and feeding behaviour of Adelie penguins to assess the impact of climate change on the marine ecosystem.

In South Africa, similar technology is being used to track a wide range of animals including pangolins, elephants, rhinos, lions, cheetahs and wild dogs, helping conservation organisations to better understand the behavioural patterns of these species and to take conservation measures accordingly.

The CloudLocate service enables tenfold energy savings by transferring power-hungry location calculations from the device to the cloud, facilitating long-term monitoring. This service is particularly suited to application scenarios that require long battery life, location updates only a few times a day, location accuracy of 10 metres or less, and location information that is only used in the cloud, not on the device.

In addition, this cloud-based positioning technology contributes to the achievement of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular Goal 14 (Protect life underwater) and Goal 15 (Protect life on land). Through these technologies, we can better protect species on Earth and promote ecosystem health and diversity.

In summary, cloud-based positioning technologies provide an efficient and sustainable solution for wildlife conservation, helping us to better understand and protect our natural environment, and thus promote sustainable ecosystems. u-blox' technologies play an important role in this area, with its M10 GNSS module and CloudLocate service supporting a wide range of wildlife conservation projects worldwide.