The First Use Of A Photogrammetry Drone To Estimate Population Abundance And Predict Age Structure Of Threatened Sumatran Elephants

This paper demonstrates that drone-acquired images can be processed to generate valuable data layers that can provide insights into species and landscape conservation and inform restoration and management efforts. Drone surveys combined with hierarchical modeling and machine learning can be used to estimate population abundance and age structure, which can be adapted to other regions. The demographic population data of species from programmed flights by drones enables tracking population trends that can be used to establish management priorities and guide the implementation of species conservation measures in the landscapes. The Bukit Tigapuluh landscape (BTL) in Sumatra Island is home to the Talang Mamak indigenous community and is composed of extremely species-rich dipterocarp rainforest, surrounded by a patchwork of various land-use types.