Counting Mammals

OSLI is looking for new and improved methods of accurately counting and identifying mammals in the boreal forest of northern Alberta, where oil sands operations are concentrated.

Using an incentive challenge, also called open sourcing, OSLI is looking for ideas from completely different fields of study that will improve the accuracy of animal counts without disturbing the animals. The successful technology will:

• differentiate among mammal species as well as individuals of the same species;
• be expanded to other large- and medium-sized boreal forest mammals such as coyotes, cougars and bears; and
• determine the age and sex of the animal, if possible.

In the past, government, industry and academics have used traditional methods as well as collaring with GPS/telemetry units to count large ungulates such as caribou, moose, deer and wood bison, and predators like coyotes and wolves. However, more accurate counts are needed in a timely manner to determine if there is an issue with an animal population and whether or not mitigation programs operated by OSLI companies are working.

Open source company NineSigma distributed details of the OSLI mammal counting challenge through the Internet to some 1,500 highly connected groups in the academic and research world. Four finalists have been chosen to prove their technologies on a small scale before attempting to count wildlife on a larger scale in Alberta’s boreal forest.