Satellites for Wildlife
Conservationists are using technology to better identify where to focus conservation efforts for bison, jaguar, lions, and tigers.
Thousands of years ago, large species like buffalo, jaguars, lions, and tigers roamed across continents. Buffalo herds with millions of members stretched miles in every direction across the Great Plains, blanketing the landscape. Imagine the picture above as nothing but a sea of dark brown buffalo. That’s how large swathes of North America should look.
But as human societies grew, more and more land was converted into pastures, agricultural fields, and suburbs. Today, 44% of all habitable land on Earth is used for agriculture. It’s hard to imagine a massive herd of buffalo stampeding through areas that are now covered in endless fields of corn and soy. The corn may be contiguous, but animal populations are separated, scattered across parks and wild areas that have become virtual islands. Instead of roaming, animals circle; instead of thriving, they survive.
Wildlife ranges are starting to expand again with an unexpected assist from technology. It turns out that not all NASA satellites peer out into the cosmos. Many turn a watchful eye back on Earth, and conservationists are using these satellite images to help wildlife.
For example, Act Green, a NASA-funded project led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), uses satellite imagery, expert knowledge, and on-the-ground observations to identify where conservation efforts can most help bison, jaguar, lions, and tigers (you can play with their maps here).
As I played with the Act Green maps and clicked into the 2040s, I started to imagine how islands of wildlife habitat today could become archipelagos of opportunity and animal corridors tomorrow.
Conservationists don’t have endless resources, but strategic investments in projects like Act Green can offer animals a lifeline while we work to reorient our society to more deeply appreciate the wild. I believe that the more people see majestic animals like buffalo in their natural habitats — and not just in National Parks where the tourists outnumber the herds — the more likely they are to support organizations and policies that help the wild world thrive. The more we support the wild, the more quickly it will regenerate.
The truth is that we can have a future where landscapes are once again covered in buffalo. We just have to dream it, demand it, and do it.