Autonomous Hippo Pool Surveys

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Saying Hello to the Hippos
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Crocodile Camouflage
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Making a quick getaway

Hippos are a critical component of river ecology in Africa but they are also very territorial and getting close can be dangerous. We deployed autonomous surface vehicles to collect data in the pools where they congregate, which would otherwise be inaccessible to researchers. The video to the left documents one of our close calls while surveying a hippo pool.

In the News

Autonomous boats get disguised as crocodiles and used to study hippo poop

[Link]

The River Masters - Hippos are the nutrient kingpins of Africa's waterways

Science Magazine, Vol. 346 Issue 6211, November 2014 [PDF]