title: Spatial Ecology of Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) Nesting in a Fragmented Landscape.
abstract: The role that oil palm plays in the Lower Kinabatangan region of Eastern Sabah is of considerable scientific and conservation interest, providing a model habitat for many tropical regions as they become increasingly fragmented. Crocodilians, as apex predators, widely distributed throughout the tropics, are ideal indicator species for ecosystem health. Drones (or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)) were used to identify crocodile nests in a fragmented landscape. Flights were targeted through the use of fuzzy overlay models and nests located primarily in areas indicated as suitable habitat. Nests displayed a number of similarities in terms of habitat characteristics allowing for refined modelling of survey locations. As well as being more cost-effective compared to traditional methods of nesting survey, the use of drones also enabled a larger survey area to be completed albeit with a limited number of flights. The study provides a methodology for targeted nest surveying, as well as a low-cost repeatable flight methodology. This approach has potential for widespread applicability across a range of species and for a variety of study designs.
authors.affiliation: Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK. lukeevans603@yahoo.co.uk.|Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, 5th Floor, Block B, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Malaysia. lukeevans603@yahoo.co.uk.|Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, 5th Floor, Block B, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Malaysia. lukeevans603@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Luke J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK. jonesth@cardiff.ac.uk.|Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, 33 Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3BA, UK. jonesth@cardiff.ac.uk.
authors.forename: T Hefin
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Hornbill Surveys Sdn Bhd, Lot 9, Harapan Baru Light Ind Estate, Mile 8, Jalan Labuk, Sandakan 90009, Malaysia. intrajasa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Keeyen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, 5th Floor, Block B, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Malaysia. silvester.saimin@sabah.gov.my.
authors.forename: Silvester
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saimin
authors.affiliation: Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK. goossensbr@cardiff.ac.uk.|Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, 5th Floor, Block B, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Malaysia. goossensbr@cardiff.ac.uk.|Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, 5th Floor, Block B, Kota Kinabalu 88100, Malaysia. goossensbr@cardiff.ac.uk.|Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, 33 Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3BA, UK. goossensbr@cardiff.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goossens
keywords: Borneo; Sabah; UAV; aerial survey; drone; reptile; salt water