This image is of waterfowl, mostly ducks, along the Mississippi River in western Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources uses aerial surveys to estimate population numbers for many species, including wolves and deer. In 2013, the Wisconsin DNR turned to aerial imaging and surveying to estimate deer populations in the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone, a section of southwestern and south-central Wisconsin where the disease had been found. CWD is a deer prion disease, much like Mad Cow Disease, that is highly infectious in regions with high deer populations. To prevent the spread of the disease, the DNR sought to drastically reduce the number of deer in the afflicted areas by issuing more hunting licenses and hiring sharpshooters. Before setting harvest quotas, an accurate assessment of the deer population was needed, Normally, game managers use roadside surveys and demographic information from deer harvests to create life tables that can be used to estimate herd size. However, these data sources have implicit bias, Using aerial surveys allowed game managers to create a more detailed and accurate assessment of deer populations. Surveys had to be conducted when the ground was entirely covered with snow, otherwise the dark-colored deer would be nearly impossible to spot. Predetermined survey tracts were chosen, and flown by both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. In other studies, drones have been used. Unfortunately, the CWD containment was largely ineffective, and CWD remains a threat to Wisconsin's deer population. This tactic of aerial sensing for wildlife is used extensively around the world to refine population estimates. I found examples of it being used to survey moose, manatee, ostrich, alligator, elephant, rhinoceros, seals, and nesting shorebirds, as well as waterfowl and deer, of course.
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