Big Brother-style surveillance gives new insight into Amazon's hidden wildlife

[Judi Lynn]

Wednesday, 15 May 2019
9:00 AM MYT

TEF, Brazil: Scientists are deploying ultra-sensitive sensors in the Amazon to collect images and sounds of the rainforest’s rich biodiversity in real time, in an effort to track preservation efforts.

The Big Brother-style Providence Project was launched two years ago by French scientist Michel Andre of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and Mamiraua Sustainable Development Institute in northern Brazil.

“I want to help the rest of the world understand the urgency of protecting the Amazon rainforest and supporting conservation initiatives,” says Andre, who is director of the university’s bioacoustic applications laboratory.

. . .

“Those smart ears are sending the data in real time to my laboratory where we are analysing them with the help of the local indigenous communities of Mamiraua and the biologists of the institute.

Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2019/05/15/big-brother-style-surveillance-gives-new-insight-into-amazons-hidden-wildlife/#f2IggOGd5Bk05Fic.99

[mr_lebowski]

1. In what way is this 'Big-Brother Style'? And why the use of this description?

Not asking you JL, thanks for the article, but this description seems very odd and out-of-place.

'Big Brother' having, of course, a negative connotation ... as if the researchers are doing something wrong by 'spying' on the wildlife.

Sounds like something from a Murdoch publication ...

[Judi Lynn]

2. It IS pretty creepy. That rubbed me the wrong way, too. Stupid!

I generally connect "surveillance" with possibly deadly consequences, in many cases.

I would hope researching doesn't usually involved killing the "targets." I dislike bringing any of their subjects back dead to be preserved, or used for experiments, too.

"Surveillance" is a clumsily chosen word, used by someone not really cut out for writing.