Course Overview
This hands-on course provides an exploration of bioacoustics within terrestrial ecosystems, providing participants with the essential skills and knowledge to apply acoustic methodologies in ecological research and conservation efforts. Tailored toward graduate students, researchers and conservation practitioners, the two-week course covers both theoretical foundations and practical techniques necessary for field recording, sound-based biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem assessment in biodiverse terrestrial systems.
Through lectures, workshops, and field exercises, participants will learn to apply bioacoustic techniques in environmental research. By the end of the course, you will be proficient in collecting, analysing, and utilising acoustic data to address key conservation challenges. Special emphasis will be placed on practical, real-world applications in Africa’s rich ecosystems.
Key topics include:
- Fundamentals of Bioacoustics: Explore how animals use sound for communication, navigation, and reproduction, and how these signals can be leveraged to assess behaviour, community composition, and ecosystem health.
- Recording Techniques and Research Design: Gain hands-on experience with acoustic recording technologies, from focusing on individual species to capturing broad soundscapes.
- Acoustic analysis: Learn to analyse acoustic data, from identifying and measuring animal calls to assessing entire soundscapes. Practical sessions will focus on using tools such as Raven for sound measurements, BirdNET for species recognition, and R for ecoacoustic analysis. Field data collected in the park will be integral to these exercises.
Curriculum
Week 1: Bioacoustic Foundations and Field Recording Techniques
This week covers foundational concepts in bioacoustics and essential field recording skills. Through a combination of lectures and hands-on sessions, participants will explore how sound is used in terrestrial ecosystems and gain practical experience with wildlife recording equipment.
- Key Topics:
- Bioacoustic Principles: Introduction to bioacoustics, sound physics, and the functions of sound in biology.
- Techniques for Wildlife Recording: Essentials of equipment use, recording techniques, and fieldwork in diverse environments.
- Data Fundamentals: Introduction to acoustic data management, including visualization, storage, and preliminary analysis techniques.
- Hands-On Activities:
- Equipment familiarization and practice with field recording techniques
- Group sessions for focal species recordings in the field
- Acoustic data processing and analysis using Raven Pro and other tools
Week 2: Bioacoustics in Conservation Management
Building on foundational knowledge, Week 2 dives into applied bioacoustics in conservation. Participants will explore ecoacoustics, passive acoustic monitoring, and machine learning applications for conservation efforts, with practical sessions focused on real-world data analysis and species classification. In the final days, participants will apply their learning to a group project, presenting their findings and discussing bioacoustics applications in real-world conservation, particularly within the African context.
- Key Topics:
- Ecoacoustics and Acoustic Indices: Using soundscapes to assess ecosystem health and biodiversity.
- Machine Learning for Bioacoustics: Introduction to classification and automated detection using tools like BirdNET.
- Conservation Applications: Practical guidance on designing bioacoustic studies and scaling methodologies.
- Bioacoustics in an African Context: Applications in policy, environmental impact, and wildlife monitoring.
- Hands-On Activities:
- Visualizing soundscapes and analyzing sound data with R and BirdNET
- Developing species classifiers and exploring microphone array triangulation
- Group project development, applying bioacoustics to conservation case studies
Practical Sessions:
The practical sessions in this course will focus primarily on avian recordings, providing in-depth training in the collection and analysis of bird vocalizations. Additionally, workshop sessions will cover recorder configuration and analysis techniques for mammal and bat recordings, broadening the scope of acoustic monitoring skills.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will:
- Understand bioacoustic principles and their practical applications in terrestrial ecosystems, with a focus on conservation and applied ecological research.
- Develop practical skills in acoustic field recording and deploying long-term passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) devices, including equipment selection and troubleshooting.
- Gain proficiency in bioacoustic data management and analysis, using tools like Raven, BirdNET and acoustic indices to assess species and habitat differences.
- Design and implement bioacoustic research studies, considering logistical, financial, and methodological factors, while contributing to conservation through automated recognition tools.
Course Credits
Participants who successfully complete the course requirements will receive a Certificate of Completion, recognizing their training and skillset in bioacoustic and ecoacoustic applications and conservation management.
A background in biological sciences is highly recommended, as it will enhance your understanding of the practical examples and case studies covered in the course. However, this is not a strict requirement, and individuals from diverse academic and professional backgrounds are welcome to apply.
Participants are encouraged to have an interest in conservation, ecology, or related fields, and a willingness to engage in fieldwork and data analysis. No prior experience in bioacoustics is required.
Detailed information on how to best prepare for the course, including suggested readings and software tutorials, will be provided to registered applicants prior to the start of the course.
Itinerary
Dates: 23 March 2025 (Sunday) – 05 April 2025 (Saturday)
Course Structure:
This two-week in-person field course combines theoretical principles with hands-on practical techniques in bioacoustics, focusing on sound-based biodiversity monitoring across a range of ecological scales—from individual species to entire soundscapes.
Arrival Information:
Participants should plan to arrive in Skukuza on Sunday, 23 March 2025. Detailed travel information, including air and ground transportation collection points, will be provided to course applicants to assist with travel arrangements.
Tuition
Standard Tuition: $2,200
This rate applies to participants from countries outside of Africa
African Students: $1,600
This rate applies to all students holding citizenship in any African country.
OTS Member Institutions: $2,000
What’s included:
- All course materials, lectures, and field sessions
- On-site support and mentorship from course instructors
- Food and lodging at the SSLI Campus in Skukuza for the duration of the course (shared accommodation)
- Transportation during the course
- Access to all requisite recording equipment for hands-on training
- Course T-shirt
Scholarships:
Limited partial scholarships are available for students with demonstrated financial need. If you are interested in being considered for a partial scholarship from OTS, please make sure to include a scholarship motivation in your application. We will assess your situation individually and determine your eligibility for a scholarship if you are selected for the course.
Travel Costs:
Participants are responsible for covering their own travel expenses to and from the course location. These may include:
- Flights to South Africa (nearest international airport: OR Tambo International, Johannesburg)
- Ground transportation to Kruger National Park (specific details will be provided to registered participants)
- Accommodation and meals during transit, if required
Seats are limited.
This course is a collaboration between the African Bioaccoustics Community and the Organization for Tropical Studies.
Our course coordinators and tutors include experienced researchers and practitioners who bring a wealth of knowledge in bioacoustics, ecology, conservation, and field-based training.
Tess Gridley Ph.D.
Tess Gridley is a bioacoustician and conservation scientist working in Southern Africa, with research spanning seals, cetaceans, and birds. Her work has produced multiple first accounts of species’ acoustic signals and their functions. As the founder of the African Bioacoustics Community (ABC), she actively promotes the growth of bioacoustics across the continent.
Dr. Gridley has experience leading acoustic and visual surveys to address key conservation questions, including population abundance, distribution, habitat use, and genetics. Her research outputs feed directly into specialist reports for Environmental Impact Assessments, contributing to environmental management strategies. She also serves on global initiatives such as the International Quiet Ocean Experiment (IQOE) and the Global Library for Underwater Biological Sounds (GLUBS).
Simon Elwen Ph.D.
Born and raised in South Africa, I’ve always loved both the sea and animals. After graduating as a biologist, I have had the privilege to travel and work in several other countries including the UK and Gabon. Most of my work since my PhD has been in Namibia running the Namibian Dolphin Project, where I’ve been focussing on Heaviside’s and bottlenose dolphin ecology. More recently, I have moved back to Cape Town to setup Sea Search as a base of operations to make it easier expand my research within South Africa.
Although I’m interested in all aspects of the ocean, I’m particularly interested in the
environmental conditions can affect acoustic behaviour. This is an important line of research these days, particularly in the context of growing human impacts on marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
Sasha Dines Ph.D.
Sasha Dines is a marine biologist specializing in the acoustic behavior of endangered marine mammals. Her PhD research focused on the acoustic repertoire of humpback dolphins, investigating signature whistles and their potential for use in acoustic mark-recapture studies.
Sasha has extensive field experience, having served as Head Field Specialist at Oceans Research in Mossel Bay, South Africa, where she managed marine research internships and contributed to marine mammal conservation initiatives. She currently coordinates the SouSA Consortium in South Africa and leads the Threats Group within the HudoNET network, which facilitates collaborative research across the humpback dolphin’s range.
Donovan Tye
Donovan Tye is an ecologist specializing in bioacoustics, conservation technology, and ecosystem ecology. With over a decade of experience in field research and training within savanna systems, he serves as the Director of Conservation Technology for the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) and Station Director at the Skukuza Research Station in Kruger National Park.
His current work focuses on evaluating emerging techniques for biodiversity monitoring across a range of taxa, with a particular interest in integrating bioacoustic methodologies into long-term ecosystem monitoring.
The course will take place at the Skukuza Research Station, located in the southern region of Kruger National Park, South Africa.
Accommodation:
Participants will stay in shared group accommodation, with 2–4 people per room. The facilities are clean and comfortable, offering a communal living environment ideal for field-based courses.
Meals:
All meals are included and will be provided at the research station, with three meals served daily. The menu is designed to cater to a variety of dietary needs, and participants will have access to nutritious and hearty meals throughout the course.
