Wildlife Protection Guidelines

Read this for more tips on reducing wildlife disruption. --> Red light, ...has a longer wavelength than white, blue, or green light, thus making it less visible to many nocturnal creatures. This reduced visibility helps in several ways:... For insects, ..most species are less attracted to red light compared to standard white or blue light. This means fewer insects will be drawn to your porch, thus reducing the likelihood of them becoming disoriented, exhausted, or falling prey to predators. Since insects form the base of many food chains, this small change can have positive ripple effects through local ecosystems. For birds, red lighting is significantly less disruptive to migration patterns. Many birds migrate at night using celestial navigation, and bright white lights can disorient them, causing collisions with buildings or exhaustion as they circle illuminated areas. Red light interferes less with their navigation systems. For sea turtles specifically, ..red lights are crucial near nesting beaches. The Hatchlings instinctively move toward the brightest horizon (naturally the ocean reflecting moonlight), ..but, ..artificial white lighting can lead them inland instead of to the sea. Red lighting, ...is much less likely to cause this fatal disorientation. Here's a kicker on the insect-eating Bat front, .. some certain bat species can still see red light fairly well, .. so, while it's healthier for them,.. it doesn't entirely fix the issue. If wildlife protection is your goal, the most effective approaches are to: 1. Use red light when illumination is necessary 2. Keep lights dimmer rather than brighter 3. Use motion sensors so lights aren't continuously on 4. Direct light downward rather than outward or upward These simple adjustments can significantly reduce your home's impact on local wildlife while still providing the illumination you need.

Sweeping Success... It’s 2025, its a new year, so let’s dive into the topic of wildlife sweeps and their role in resource development projects. What is a wildlife sweep? An immediate search of the proposed development for important wildlife features, including occupied raptor nests, heron rookeries (nests), occupied dens, hibernacula and natural mineral licks. The intent is to assess a site, for these features, so that they may be avoided. In areas where a full wildlife survey is required, sweeps do not replace the need for a full wildlife survey. Note: osprey nests and bald eagle nests outside of the Grassland and Parkland natural regions, should be considered features to identify and buffer regardless of time of year given their large (easily identifiable) appearance and high probability of re-use. When it comes to completing wildlife sweeps there a number of key things that I come back to again and again. 1️⃣ Wildlife Sweep Coverage: Ensuring that an updated and accurate project footprint is in place is an important first step. During a wildlife sweep the proposed project area and the associated 100 meter buffer must be swept. Regulators have recently increased their focus on survey intensity, so ensure that the chosen level of effort is well-documented and defensible. 2️⃣ Data organization & Collection: One of the key requirements when completing wildlife sweeps is the accurate collection and retention of survey effort. Storing your results (GPS tracks, waypoints, results, and recommendations) and having access to them is a mandatory requirement in Alberta. "A record of the wildlife sweep must be documented in detail and maintained by the disposition holder for the duration of the disposition" "This record must include the timing of the wildlife sweep, justification for the timing, personnel who conducted the sweep, environmental conditions during the sweep, and the details described below. ◾ A wildlife sweep is a walkthrough of the proposed disturbance site and surrounding 100-metre buffer to identify important wildlife features that must be avoided during associated activities. ◾ A GPS track or equivalent of the wildlife sweep walkthrough must be kept and attached to a record of the wildlife sweep." 3️⃣ Choosing the Right Professional: Lastly, ensure you engage a team of qualified professionals (QPs) with the expertise and experience needed for your specific project. It is important that they have an understanding of the legal and regulatory requirements, as well as the specific habitat and ecological conditions relevant to your project area. Remember, a QP who excels in one region may not have the necessary experience or knowledge in another. Carefully evaluate their qualifications and regional expertise to make an informed decision when assembling your team. ⬇️ If you have any wildlife sweep tips drop them in the comments. Have a great Sunday!

Protecting Endangered Species #SDG 15 Life on Land Thousands of species of animals have been illegally traded via wildlife trafficking and over 45,000 species are threatened with extinction. Establishing protected areas of flora and fauna while utilizing real-time wildlife monitoring can detect a decline in population from trafficking and poaching to assist in conservation efforts. #IoT Blueprint: Sensor(s): • Cameras: Computer Vision to Visually Detect Illegal Hunting or Trafficking • Acoustic: Listen for Unexpected Vehicles and Personnel as well as Gunshots • GPS and RFID Tags to Track the Movement of Endangered Species • Panic Button: Person in the Area Witnesses Illegal Hunting or Trafficking Device(s): • Microcontroller Power Options: • Lithium-Ion Polymer (LiPo) Batteries • Solar Network(s): • LoRa: Create Coverage Needed to Reach Internet Access • Cellular: If Coverage Available • Satellite: If No Coverage Options are Available Security: • Uniquely Identify Each Device • TLS Encryption for Data in Transit • Encrypted Data at Rest on Device, IoT Platform, Databases, and Analytics • Validate Device Messages to Ensure they use Expected Data Format • Rotate Security Tokens • Limit IP Address Ranges • AI Anomaly Detection • Zero Trust: Reauthenticate Device Messages Through Every Step of the System Digital Twin Modeling: • Collection of Flora and Fauna in a Protected Area • Individual Endangered Plants and Animals Data Processing + Storage Location(s): • Edge: In Protected Area • Cloud: Filtered Data Relayed from Edge to Monitor Broader Areas Containing Endangered Fauna and Flora Analytics: • Compare Sensor Data Values to Defined KPI Value Ranges and Thresholds • Filter out Duplicate Sensor Data Value Readings Automation: • Green KPI: No Action • Yellow KPI: Warn Notification for Awareness • Red KPI: Alert Notification for Forest Rangers, Police, and Conservation Officers to take Action People: • Deploy and Maintain Solution • SMEs Define KPIs and Actions • Forest Rangers, Conservation Officers, and Police #SavingTheEarthWithTheInternetOfThings #Sustainability #SustainableDevelopmentGoals