Abstract:
Although researchers have studied the effects of aircraft noise on wild and domestic animals for many years, accurate descriptions of the noise levels received by the animals in many of the studies was not verified. Recent technology has allowed for the miniaturization of much of the hardware for noise monitoring devices, making it feasible to build a noise monitor small enough to fit on a large animal collar. An animal noise monitor (ANM) was designed and built to capture A- and C-weighted noise levels above a programmable threshold, distinguishing aircraft noise from other sound sources. The device, weighing only 350 g, also captures onset rate, Leq, and gross movements of the animal via accelerometers after a noise event, while fitting on a large animal collar. The ANMs were also designed to function as stand-alone, weatherproof units for up to 6 months. The ANMs have already been field tested under natural weather conditions at stationary locations by Peregrine Falcon aeries around Fairbanks, Alaska. The ANMs will be tested on penned animals to determine their reliability and accuracy.