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Jyotish Ranjan Deka, MS
PhD Candidate
Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology • University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin • United States
Project Location & Description
Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve • Assam, India
PhD candidate Jyotish Ranjan Deka (UW–Madison) is testing something bold in Orang National Park, Assam: Can we identify individual Bengal tigers by their voices? With four years’ fieldwork in Northeast India and a toolkit that spans camera traps to AI, Jyotish is integrating passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) to build a scalable, non-invasive way to track big cats across human-dominated landscapes.
The problem: National tiger monitoring leans heavily on camera traps, which are effective but costly, theft-prone, and hard to maintain outside core areas. Dense grasslands in Orang make visual methods even tougher. Building on recent successful acoustic identification of leopards in Tanzania, this project will assess whether tiger vocalisations contain consistent, unique signatures that can be used for reliable individual recognition. PAM will offer a (relatively) low-cost, theft-resistant alternative for long-term monitoring suitable for floodplain and human-dominated landscapes, such as Orang National Park.
How acoustics power the project: 24 Song Meter Micro 2 recorders will be installed near trails, water sources, and locations with known tiger activity or human use (e.g., forest edges, roads) for ~45 days spanning the winter and pre-monsoon seasons, targeting dawn/dusk roar activity while capturing prey calls and human disturbances such as gunshots, chainsaws, or vehicle noise. ARBIMON will be used for pattern-matching and annotation, and manually validated detections will be used to train convolutional neural networks (CNNs) using OpenSoundscape, an open-source Python library designed for bioacoustic classification. Outputs cross-validated with camera traps.
Why it matters: Success would be a first for wild Bengal tigers and a blueprint for National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and state agencies to extend monitoring beyond protected cores. Deliverables include trained models, field protocols for frontline staff, and datasets to guide policy—bringing a practical, non-invasive acoustic tool to tiger conservation where it’s needed most.
Research Bio
Jyotish Ranjan Deka is a PhD candidate in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA. His research focuses on large mammal ecology, landscape connectivity, and non-invasive monitoring techniques, with a particular emphasis on the Bengal tiger in Northeast India. Jyotish has over four years of field experience working in Assam, including with leading conservation organisations such as Aaranyak and the Wildlife Institute of India. He has expertise in camera trapping, occupancy modeling, and species distribution modeling, and is currently integrating passive acoustic monitoring into his doctoral research. His goal is to develop scalable tools to monitor tigers and other large mammals across fragmented and human-dominated landscapes.
Awarded: 24 Song Meter Micro 2; 1 Kaleidoscope Pro License
Brylle Vince Y. Abrea, BS
Master's Student
Institute of Biological Sciences • Central Mindanao University
Maramag, Bukidnon • Philippines
Project Location & Description
Karst & Cave Ecosystems • Bukidnon, Philippines
Led by Central Mindanao University (CMU) master’s student Brylle Vince Y. Abrea, this project tackles a major data gap: Mindanao has no published reference library for insectivorous bat calls. Working across karst habitats in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, and Quezon, Bukidnon, Abrea’s team will record full-spectrum calls, link them to confidently identified individuals, and build the Philippines’ first Mindanao-focused bat call library.
Why it matters: A robust call library unlocks faster, noninvasive species ID, clearer insights into foraging ecology and habitat use, and scalable population monitoring—critical for protecting cave-rich karst systems under mounting pressure. The project also centres ethical practice: securing prior informed consent and permits, and collaborating with local stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, to align research with conservation priorities and knowledge-sharing.
How acoustics power the work: Handheld releases and short flight-cage sessions will capture clean search calls using Song Meter Mini Bat 2 and Echo Meter Touch 2 bat detectors; Kaleidoscope Pro analysis software will be used to extract parameters and classify call types to differentiate species and behaviour. And expert collaborators will provide quality control and validation.
What to expect: An open, well-archived reference library, monitoring protocols, and training materials. The result: actionable data for managers, educators, and policymakers—and a foundation for future Philippine bat bioacoustics and co-created conservation.
Research Bio
Brylle Vince Y. Abrea is a master's student in biology at Central Mindanao University, majoring in systematics and minoring in biodiversity conservation. With a deep passion for animals and biodiversity, Brylle has always been especially fascinated by bats because of their unique ecological roles and behaviours. During undergraduate studies, Brylle conducted research on bat diversity assessment and habitat vulnerability, examining the distribution and environmental threats facing bat populations. As a graduate student, Brylle is eager to continue this research, focusing on bat ecology and the intricacies of their echolocation abilities. Ultimately, they aspire to pursue a career as a researcher or zoologist, working toward the conservation and understanding of bat species and their environments.
Awarded: 1 Song Meter Mini Bat 2 (Li-ion) and accessories; 1 Echo Meter Touch 2; 1 Kaleidoscope Pro License
Yoba Alenga, MSc
PhD Student
Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology
Arusha • Tanzania
Project Location & Description
Upemba National Park • Democratic Republic of the Congo
Early-career ecologist Yoba Alenga (NMAIST PhD student; Ecologist at Forgotten Parks/Upemba) is launching a park-wide passive acoustic survey in Upemba National Park, DRC—a biodiversity crossroads spanning Miombo (woodland), Muhulu (dry forest), and Mushito (gallery forest). From December 2025 to May 2027, Yoba will pair classical field methods with bioacoustics to document birds and small mammals (especially bats) and build a defensible baseline for long-term monitoring.
The problem: Upemba’s sheer size and habitat diversity make traditional, multitaxon surveys slow, costly, and prone to bias. The park is under-documented, yet conservation decisions can’t wait. This project asks two practical questions: What is the diversity of acoustically detectable mammals and birds across habitats? And how effective is passive acoustics for long-term monitoring and conservation planning in this landscape?
How acoustics power the project: Cost-effective Song Meter recorders will be deployed across priority habitats, recording bats overnight and birds at dawn in both wet and dry seasons. Data will be filtered and analysed with Kaleidoscope Pro, R, and BirdNET Analyser to estimate richness, detect spatial/temporal patterns in species presence, and flag disturbance indicators. Results will feed a broader monitoring framework alongside camera traps, GPS collars, and drones.
Why it matters: This is Upemba’s first systematic acoustic baseline for vocal mammals and birds. Deliverables, including species checklists, activity trends, audio samples, and spectrograms, will be shared with park managers and through publicly accessible biodiversity databases such as GBIF, and Xeno-canto, directly informing protected-area decisions. The approach is scalable, non-invasive, and repeatable—positioning bioacoustics as a cornerstone for evidence-based conservation in the DRC.
Research Bio
Yoba Alenga is an early-career scientist and PhD student at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NMAIST) in Tanzania. He is passionate about biodiversity conservation and is particularly interested in technology-based methods for wildlife monitoring. Yoba holds a master's degree in biodiversity and sustainable forest management from the University of Kisangani. Since July 2025, he has served as an ecologist at Forgotten Parks, a nonprofit organisation in the DRC that manages Upemba National Park (UNP). His research enhances the understanding of forest ecology in Congolese Protected Areas by integrating classical and acoustic methodologies.
Awarded: 3 Song Meter Mini Bat 2 (AA); 2 Song Meter Mini 2 (AA); 1 Kaleidoscope Pro License
Connor Proudfoot, BSc
Master's Student
Animal Behaviour & Cognition Group • Utrecht University
Utrecht • The Netherlands
Project Location & Description
Multiple Sites with Captive & Wild Vulture Populations • Europe & Africa
Utrecht University master's researcher, Connor Proudfoot, is launching a multi-year effort (Sept 2025–Dec 2028) to decode how vultures communicate. By recording both captive and wild populations (~12 species) across Europe and Africa, his project will map vocal repertoires and test whether social complexity drives vocal complexity—while turning those insights into practical tools for conservation that can inform captive breeding, support reintroductions, and advance knowledge on the evolution of complex communication.
The problem: Most evidence for the Social Complexity Hypothesis comes from a handful of well-studied species, leaving vultures—the world’s most threatened bird group—largely unexamined. To understand whether complex societies select for complex communication, we need objective, scalable datasets that span species, life stages, and contexts. This project fills that gap with a comparative approach grounded in bioacoustics, unsupervised machine learning, and phylogenetic comparisons across 10 Old World vultures (plus two outgroups).
How acoustics power the project: Proudfoot will use Song Meter Mini 2 acoustic recorders to capture vocalisations across diverse social contexts in both captive and wild populations. In single-species aviaries, recorders will be placed near high-interaction areas (e.g., perches, feeding stations, nests) to capture group interactions, competitive feeding, adult–chick exchanges, and early developmental stages in artificial incubation. In captive settings, recorders will be placed at nests to document parent–chick interactions and in areas where groups frequently gather. Directional microphones and video recordings will complement recorders, allowing for a connection between vocalisations and behaviours. All recordings, annotations, and related code will be shared openly (e.g., Xeno-canto).
Why it matters: Beyond advancing theory, findings will inform captive breeding and reintroductions, enable remote vocal monitoring of wild populations, and support EAZA programs for critically endangered Gyps vultures. By establishing vultures as a new model for complex communication—and providing a replicable workflow for other Accipitriformes—this project delivers actionable bioacoustic tools and open data to help keep nature’s cleanup crew on the wing.
Research Bio
Connor Proudfoot is a Master's student and research employee at Utrecht University, focusing on animal communication and cognition. His research seeks to establish vultures as a model for studying complex communication and to provide insights for their conservation. He began his work in bioacoustics at the University of Leicester, where he studied the effects of urban noise on European robins, published in Behavioural Ecology. He has also researched social learning in macaques. Recently, he characterized the vocal repertoire of Rüppell's vulture using machine learning methods and is now expanding this work to deepen understanding of vulture communication.
Awarded: 6 Song Meter Mini 2 (AA)
Alex Wilder, HBSc, MSc
PhD Candidate
Gotanda Lab • Brock University
St. Catharines, Ontario • Canada
Project Location & Description
Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo • Calgary, Alberta • Canada
At the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, researchers are tuning into Humboldt penguin calls to better understand how these threatened birds communicate—particularly when it comes to recognizing mates. While avian vocal communication is well-studied in songbirds, penguins remain relatively understudied despite their complex social lives and conservation importance.
This project uses passive acoustic monitoring and video analysis to explore individual vocal repertoires and how penguins may use unique vocal signatures to recognise pair-bonded mates. Recordings will form the foundation for playback experiments, where researchers test behavioural responses to calls from partners, unrelated colony members, and even other species. By combining ethograms and acoustic data, the team hopes to determine whether vocal signals convey individual identity and social information.
The implications go beyond the colony. Findings could improve welfare practices in managed populations by supporting behavioural compatibility during breeding or inter-zoo transfers. Long-term, this research could inform conservation strategies such as translocations or reintroductions, where sensory-based priming—like acoustic cues—helps prepare animals for success in the wild.
This work lays the groundwork for deeper studies of vocal behaviour in penguins and highlights how bioacoustics can support both animal welfare and the conservation of underrepresented species in avian communication research.
Research Bio
Alex Wilder is a PhD candidate in the Gotanda Lab at Brock University, studying how vulnerable species use different signals for communication. She began her research career in 2015 as an undergraduate in the Mennill Lab at the University of Windsor, working on avian bioacoustics and communication projects before completing an honors thesis on primate vocal behaviour. During her master’s, she explored the effects of generational captivity and rearing temperature on brook trout in the Semeniuk Lab. Now, Alex combines her interests in communication, conservation, and managed care to investigate vocal signaling in Humboldt penguins at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.
Awarded: 6 Song Meter Mini 2 (AA)
Coen Hird, BSc (Hons), PhD
Associate Lecturer
School of the Environment • University of Queensland
Brisbane, Queensland • Australia
Project Location & Description
Guanaba Indigenous Protected Area (GIPA) • Southeast Queensland • Australia
In the subtropical forests of the Guanaba Indigenous Protected Area (GIPA) in Southeast Queensland, a new collaboration is bringing together Indigenous ecological knowledge, bioacoustic technology, and student researchers to monitor a long-silent species: the endangered Fleay’s Barred Frog (Mixophyes fleayi). Co-designed by Kombumerri Rangers and Wildlife Science students from the University of Queensland, this project aims to re-establish long-term monitoring of a culturally and ecologically significant species, using non-invasive acoustic recorders.
Fleay’s Barred Frog hasn’t been recorded in GIPA for over 20 years. Traditional Western survey methods have proven time-intensive and ineffective, but bioacoustics offers a promising solution. Four Song Meter Mini 2 acoustic recorders will be strategically placed in breeding habitats along Guanaba Creek, guided by Traditional Owners’ knowledge and ecological criteria. Data will be analysed using Kaleidoscope Pro, helping assess frog presence, activity, and habitat use.
This project addresses the urgent need for Indigenous-led conservation by embedding cultural protocols, respecting data sovereignty, and providing hands-on learning for students. Results will guide habitat restoration, inform future conservation strategies, and strengthen Indigenous leadership in environmental stewardship. Even if the target species isn’t detected, the project will enhance understanding of frog communities across GIPA.
Ultimately, this initiative highlights how co-designed, community-led bioacoustic monitoring can revitalize species protection while honoring Indigenous rights and knowledge—offering a replicable model for culturally responsive conservation across Australia and beyond.
Research Bio
Dr. Coen Hird is a Trawlwoolway Pakana from northeast Lutruwita, Tasmania, and an associate lecturer at the University of Queensland. Coen researches and teaches at the intersection of Western and Indigenous sciences, focusing on Indigenous epistemologies, ecological physiology, and conservation biology. His research emphasizes Indigenous priorities in scientific research, highlighting ethical engagement and Indigenous data sovereignty. Coen teaches in the Wildlife Technologies course at the University of Queensland, training third-year Wildlife Science students in bioacoustic monitoring and culturally grounded conservation practices. His co-designed projects with Indigenous Rangers aim to achieve tangible conservation outcomes while respecting Indigenous leadership and sovereignty.
Awarded: 4 Song Meter Mini 2 (Li-ion); 4 acoustic stub mics; 16 battery pairs; 2 Kaleidoscope Pro licenses
Jason Philip Mellos, BS Biology
Science Teacher
Booker T. Washington High School • Marine Science Academy
Pensacola, Florida • United States
Project Location & Description
Coastal Forests • Northern Gulf Coast • Florida • United States
Along the northern Gulf Coast near Pensacola, Florida, coastal forests like pine savannas, oak hammocks, and marshes are home to a rich diversity of wildlife—but for bats, we know surprisingly little. This project aims to change that by using bioacoustic monitoring to identify which bat species use these unique and vulnerable ecosystems.
With support from local partners, the project will deploy Song Meter Mini Bat 2 recorders at sites across the region from July to August. These devices will run nightly, passively recording echolocation calls. Using Kaleidoscope Pro software, researchers and student scientists will analyse the data to identify species and understand habitat use.
In a unique twist, students from Washington High School’s Marine Science Academy and Club will help with fieldwork, gaining hands-on experience in conservation research. Their contributions will not only support species identification but also highlight the importance of coastal habitats and inspire the next generation of conservationists.
Findings will be shared with partners, including Florida State Parks, Sea Grant, and NABat, to inform conservation strategies and land management decisions. As climate change and development continue to threaten coastal areas, this project delivers critical baseline data on bat populations while engaging the community in protecting these often-overlooked species.
Research Bio
Jason Mellos is a science teacher at Booker T. Washington High School Marine Science Academy in Pensacola, Florida. He has a background in field research, initially working in bioacoustics, where he served as the lead on a bat monitoring project. His focus has shifted to water-quality monitoring and fish-capture methods to study local aquatic ecosystems. Jason enjoys giving students hands-on experiences in the field—whether that’s collecting water samples, using scientific equipment, or identifying fish species. His ultimate goal is to help students connect with science and develop research skills through real-world projects.
Awarded: 3 Song Meter Mini Bat 2 (AA); 1 ultrasonic calibrator; 1 Kaleidoscope Pro license
Krystal Athanassiou, BA
Field Supervisor • Ontario Streams
Toronto, Ontario • Canada
Project Location & Description
York Region • Ontario • Canada
As urbanisation and climate change threaten Southern Ontario’s wetlands, monitoring amphibian populations is more critical than ever. In partnership with York Region, environmental charity Ontario Streams will use acoustic monitoring to support long-term conservation in these sensitive habitats.
Project Lead Krystal Athanassiou typically conducts frog call surveys during the spring mating season. But safety concerns—such as denning Black Bears—have limited access to some sites. With grant support, her team will deploy two Song Meter Micro 2 acoustic recorders to safely and non-invasively capture frog calls, even in high-risk areas.
Using Kaleidoscope Pro software, they will analyse species presence and call intensity, focusing on vulnerable species like the Northern Leopard Frog and Western Chorus Frog. The data will inform York Region’s habitat management strategies and trail planning.
Notably, Ontario Streams will use frog call samples in public education efforts, including webinars and outreach materials. Krystal’s project highlights how bioacoustics can enhance wildlife research, public engagement, and on-the-ground conservation efforts.
Research Bio
Krystal Athanassiou earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Brock University in Ontario, Canada. Currently, she works as a field supervisor with Ontario Streams, supporting the development and implementation of amphibian monitoring projects, ecosystem restoration initiatives, and community stewardship programs. Krystal believes in using technology for data collection to help protect sensitive wetland ecosystems and ensure the safety and well-being of her colleagues. Her next project will incorporate audio recordings of amphibian calls into educational resources that are accessible to the public, engaging people with Ontario's amphibian species and providing information on how to protect vulnerable wetland ecosystems.
Awarded: 2 Song Meter Micro 2; 1 Kaleidoscope Pro license
Alexander Dibnah, BSc, MSc
PhD Candidate • Centre for Ecosystem Science
School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences
University of New South Wales
Sydney • Australia
Project Location & Description
Myall Lakes National Park • New South Wales • Australia
Researcher Alexander Dibnah's project investigates the social function of howling in wild dingoes (Canis dingo)—Australia’s apex predator—using passive bioacoustic monitoring in Myall Lakes National Park, NSW. While canid howls are known to play vital roles in territory defense and social cohesion, most studies have focused on captive animals or species like wolves. Little is known about the timing, location, and purpose of howling in wild dingoes.
Over two years, passive acoustic recorders will monitor howling across six known dingo packs, comparing acoustic activity between core and peripheral territories, and across breeding, denning, and pup-rearing seasons. Acoustic indices and manual analysis will help assess how howling patterns relate to social and ecological contexts.
Findings will fill a major gap in canid behavioural ecology and support the development of howl-based, non-lethal deterrents for managing human-dingo conflict. By mimicking natural howl patterns, these tools may reduce the need for lethal control and help conserve dingoes’ ecological role in regulating prey and mesopredator populations. This project combines behavioural ecology with applied conservation, offering scalable, evidence-based solutions for coexistence.
Researcher Bio
Alexander James Dibnah is a PhD student at UNSW Sydney, specializing in animal behaviour, communication, and large carnivore conservation. He completed an MSc by Research at the University of Exeter in 2021, where he discovered a “vocalised voting system” in wild jackdaws. From 2022 to 2023, he worked with Botswana Predator Conservation, studying African wild dogs and other large carnivores. In 2024, he began his PhD with support from a University International Postgraduate Award, focusing on dingo communication and non-lethal conflict management. Alex aims to advance understanding of vocal behaviour in carnivores to support conservation strategies globally.
Awarded: 8 Song Meter Mini 2 (AA)
Dr. Nikhil Modak
Associate Professor in Research
Henryk Hoyer Department of Comparative Anatomy
Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research
Jagiellonian University
Kraków • Poland
Project Location & Description
Oświęcim Basin • Vistula River Valley • Poland
Dr. Modak's project investigates the shifting dynamics of Pelophylax frog communities in the fish ponds near Kraków, Poland—specifically focusing on P. ridibundus, P. lessonae, and their hybrid P. esculentus. Traditional monitoring methods in the region have been inconsistent and invasive, leaving major gaps in our understanding of how these species interact, particularly during the breeding season. By deploying Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) across nine sites, this study will non-invasively capture daily and seasonal acoustic patterns, allowing researchers to identify species-specific calls and track community changes over time. This is especially important as P. ridibundus appears to be expanding and potentially displacing the other two species, likely due to habitat changes and regional warming.
Acoustic data will replace labor-intensive surveys and reduce reliance on costly molecular identification, while also enabling long-term, weather-independent monitoring. Findings will provide insight into species dominance, acoustic niche overlap, and hybridization dynamics. Importantly, this is the first study in Poland to use PAM for frog communities and could serve as a model for nationwide monitoring efforts.
Beyond academic value, the results will inform habitat conservation strategies and climate adaptation policies, especially for P. lessonae, whose habitat preferences make it vulnerable to warming and land-use change. This work also offers valuable training opportunities in acoustic monitoring and data analysis for students and researchers alike.
Researcher Bio
Dr. Nikhil Modak is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Jagiellonian University specializing in amphibian systematics, evolutionary biology, community ecology, and acoustic communication. He has extensive field experience in the Western Ghats of India, focusing on anuran biodiversity using camera traps and passive acoustic monitoring. His work combines machine learning, and he is experienced in R programming language, QGIS (for mapping and geospatial analysis), Raven (for analyzing acoustic data), and MAXENT (for species distribution modeling). A member of the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, he has contributed to Red List assessments of Indian amphibians. Currently, he also conducts physiological experiments on anuran tadpoles and supports high-throughput genome analysis.
Awarded: 20 Song Meter Micro 2; 2 Kaleidoscope Pro Licenses
Dr. Mohammed Kasso Geda
Associate Professor of Zoology
Biology Department
College of Natural and Computational Sciences
Hawassa University
Sidama National Regional State • Ethiopia
Project Location & Description
Northern Sidama Zone • Sidama • Ethiopia
Dr. Kasso's project explores the ecological role of bats in the Northern Sidama Zone of southern Ethiopia, a region where agroforestry supports local livelihoods and biodiversity. Bats are vital to these ecosystems, providing pest control, pollination, and seed dispersal services—yet they remain underappreciated and understudied.
Using a combination of passive acoustic monitoring, real-time detection, and mist-netting, Dr. Kasso's team will assess bat activity, diversity, and their relationships with pest populations across different agricultural settings. This data will help identify species most beneficial to farming systems and inform the development of bat-friendly agroforestry practices. The project will also engage local farmers through education and outreach, helping shift perceptions about bats and highlighting their value to agriculture. Community workshops, educational materials, and collaborative discussions will foster stewardship and support for bat conservation.
Findings will inform management strategies, guide sustainable farming practices, and contribute to regional conservation policies. By combining acoustic monitoring with community-based conservation, this project fills a crucial data gap, builds local capacity, and promotes coexistence between bats and people, standing to benefit both biodiversity and agricultural sustainability in the region.
Researcher Bio
Dr. Mohammed Kasso Geda is an Associate Professor of Ecology and Systematic Zoology at Hawassa University, Ethiopia. He specializes in the diversity, conservation, and ecology of small mammals—particularly rodents, shrews, and bats—with over 35 published research articles. His work has enhanced understanding of Ethiopia’s small mammal fauna and informed wildlife habitat protection. Dr. Kasso also studies pest impacts on horticultural crops and post-harvest losses. He actively collaborates with national and international partners and mentors students and early-career researchers. His expertise in highland small mammal ecology positions him to lead impactful bat research with support from Wildlife Acoustics.
Awarded: 2 Song Meter Mini Bat 2 (AA); 2 Song Meter Mini Bat 2 (Li-ion); 2 Mini Bat 2 Accessories; 1 Echo Meter Touch 2; 1 Kaleidoscope Pro License
In the spirit of reconciliation, Faunatech acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
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