Animal Noise Monitor: Assessment of Accelerometers for Determining Animal Behavior

摘要

The Environmental Impact Analysis Process (EIAP) requires that the Department of Defense be able to assess the impacts of noise on animals. The National Park Service and Fish and Wildlife Service, who have oversight on DoD environmental documents, have expressed concern about noise impacts on wildlife from military overflights. The USAF undertook an effort to develop an animal noise monitor that would measure directly the noise impact and determine the activity condition of the animal. This effort was to examine the use of accelerometers for determining the activity level of wildlife, especially Bighorn sheep, mule deer and prong horned antelope. This effort was able to show the correlation of accelerometer data with observed behavior from wildlife experts. Three approaches for implementing accelerometers into an overall system design are proposed.