Team Name:
Chicago Bulls
Team Members:
Chicago Bulls
The Northern Territory of Australia is home to one of the largest populations of saltwater crocodiles, which, while integral to the ecosystem, pose significant risks to human safety. To reduce the risk of crocodile encounters, it is crucial to develop a system that provides real-time data on crocodile activity while ensuring the protection of these animals from illegal poaching. This report outlines a comprehensive approach that combines satellite imagery, GPS/acoustic tracking, geofencing, and data crowdsourcing to improve public safety and enhance crocodile monitoring efforts.
Crocodile encounters in the Northern Territory present a significant safety risk for both residents and tourists. Current monitoring methods rely heavily on manual reporting and limited real-time data, creating gaps in response and public awareness. The lack of cellular communication in remote areas also complicates efforts to deliver timely alerts to individuals at risk. Further, efforts to tag crocodiles for real-time tracking are limited by the difficulty of tagging multiple crocodiles at once.
Key problems include:
- Lack of real-time data on crocodile movements, leading to delayed responses.
- Remote areas with limited communication, making it challenging to send alerts.
- Difficulty in tagging crocodiles en masse, which limits the scope of GPS tracking efforts.
- Crocodile conservation concerns, as public access to tracking data could encourage poaching.
The system uses Google Earth Engine to capture real-time satellite imagery of the Northern Territory, focusing on regions with rivers, wetlands, and other water bodies that serve as crocodile habitats. The satellite data is analyzed to:
- Identify crocodile-prone zones, particularly in areas with dense water coverage.
- Monitor environmental changes, such as seasonal flooding, that could influence crocodile movement.
- Create real-time updates of hotspot maps based on ongoing tracking data.
These maps serve as a foundation for geofencing and other preventive measures aimed at reducing crocodile encounters.
Using the hotspot data, the system applies geofencing technology to mark crocodile-prone areas. Geofencing creates virtual perimeters that trigger alerts when breached by an individual carrying a mobile device with a SIM card. The geofencing system:
- Defines boundaries around rivers, wetlands, and other identified high-risk zones.
- Triggers SMS alerts when a person enters the geofenced zone, warning them of potential danger.
- Limits alerts to areas with cellular communication to ensure timely delivery.
Geofencing enables precise targeting of high-risk zones, enhancing public awareness and reducing encounters.
The hotspot map was created using historical data on crocodile sightings from previous years. These datasets, collected from park rangers and community reports, were analyzed to identify patterns in crocodile activity. The map highlights areas where crocodile encounters have been most frequent and serves as a key resource for tracking efforts and public awareness.
This map is continuously updated as new data is collected through satellite monitoring, crowd reports, and GPS/acoustic tracking.
An online platform allows users to:
- View and download maps of crocodile-prone areas based on real-time tracking data.
- Receive updated safety information about dangerous zones.
- Report new crocodile sightings through a crowdsourcing feature, which sends reports directly to local authorities.
The platform ensures public engagement while maintaining accurate, up-to-date information on crocodile activity.
The system uses SIM-based tracking to monitor when individuals enter crocodile-prone zones. Alerts are sent via SMS to both the individual and local authorities, providing real-time information on potential risks. In areas with limited communication, the system prevents unnecessary alerts to avoid confusion.
To track crocodiles in real time, the system uses acoustic and GPS tags. These devices provide detailed data on crocodile movements, enabling authorities to monitor their locations. The tracking process is divided into two stages:
- Temporary Tracking with Bait: Temporary trackers are placed in bait and fed to crocodiles to track their movements over a short period.
- Long-Term GPS Tracking: Once the crocodiles are tracked through the temporary devices, long-term GPS tags are attached for continuous monitoring.
This two-stage approach allows authorities to tag multiple crocodiles efficiently without the risks associated with trying to tag all of them at once.
In cases where a crocodile is detected within 100-200 meters of a person, a continuous SMS alert is sent to warn the individual of the danger. Local authorities also receive notifications, allowing them to monitor and respond to potential encounters.
The secure portal is designed for use by local authorities, enabling them to:
- Access real-time data on crocodile movements, based on GPS tags.
- Monitor high-risk zones and intervene if necessary.
- Ensure sensitive data is protected to prevent illegal activities such as poaching.
The portal restricts access to the general public, ensuring that crocodile tracking data is not misused.
Using historical data and ranger sightings from the provided datasets, authorities identify crocodile hotspots, which serve as key areas for deploying tracking devices. These areas are selected based on their proximity to water bodies and high crocodile activity.
We use temporary trackers in bait because it's not feasible to tag large numbers of crocodiles with long-term trackers at once. Temporary trackers allow us to monitor their movements after feeding. This provides an opportunity to later approach these crocodiles individually and apply long-term GPS trackers. However, agencies must act quickly because the temporary trackers will pass through the crocodiles’ digestive systems.
The SMS alert system is integrated into the tracking setup, providing warnings to individuals when they enter a crocodile-prone zone. Alerts also notify authorities, enabling them to monitor human activity in dangerous areas.
To protect the crocodiles, the system restricts public access to real-time tracking data. By keeping sensitive information within the secure portal, the system helps prevent poaching and ensures the long-term safety of the crocodile population.
The system ensures that location data is not shared with the public. Only general information about crocodile-prone zones is made available to ensure public safety without revealing sensitive details about crocodile movements.
Dynamic mapping of crocodile locations is available only to local authorities, who use this data to monitor crocodile behavior and respond to potential threats. This restricted access helps prevent poaching and ensures that the data is used responsibly.
Park rangers contribute valuable data on crocodile sightings and high-risk zones. This information is integrated into the satellite mapping system, allowing authorities to make data-driven decisions about where to deploy tracking devices and which areas to monitor closely.
The satellite mapping system uses real-time imagery and GPS data to create accurate maps of crocodile-prone areas. These maps are continuously updated as new data is collected, ensuring that both the public and authorities have access to the latest information on crocodile activity.
This solution leverages a combination of real-time satellite imagery, GPS/acoustic tagging, geofencing, and data crowdsourcing to enhance public safety and protect crocodiles from illegal activities. By feeding crocodile hotspot data to relevant agencies and using temporary trackers in stages, authorities can gradually tag and monitor crocodile populations while reducing the risk of human-crocodile encounters. Through secure data management, the system ensures that both the public and crocodiles are kept safe, empowering local authorities to take proactive measures in protecting the community.
Links:
- Tracking crocodile movements could reduce attacks on humans, researchers say
- Crocodile Tracking - Learn About The Studies On The Steve Irwin Reserve
SMS based geo-targeting:
- Missing Persons: NSW Police use SMS Geo-Targeting in Search
Satellite imaging system:
- Satellite imaging system
- Mapping Wetlands and River using Landsat 8 and MNDWI in Google Earth Engine
Datasets:
- NT Crocodile Capture Zones and Daily Count
- Crocodile Monitoring Survey
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RoO7oLgTkFOTbtp1L1jIFa1OTrtIp4Nm/view
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