Infrared goes on Safari
John (JACK) N. Allinson II Allinson Infrared Inspections Services, (AKA AIRIS) Inc.
ABSTRACT
At the 2004 InfraMation conference, you saw video footage of a breaching great white shark in South Africa. Now our presenter is back from South Africa to show 'burst infrared recordings' using a FLIR Systems P65HS infrared camera. Select video clips will be shown of a Great White Shark breach, Southern Right Whales, and game animals from the author’s safari to the Etosha Pan in Namibia, Africa. This paper will also illustrate the use of the features of an infrared camera that are capable of capturing `burst recordings' and the ThermaCAM Researcher Pro software that enables post processing of that video footage.
INTRODUCTION
South Africa possesses a beauty and a stoic character in its people and in its wildlife. In this trip, members of the AIRIS, Inc. team return to South Africa to take “Infrared on Safari” along the western cape of South African coast and inland to a national park in Namibia. Images, experiences, and vivid memories were obtained from the quiescent gathering of Southern Right Whales basking and playing just outside the surf break in the golf country club environment of Hermanus Bay in South Africa. We were grateful to witness other natural wonders, including the intense predator prey activities of the Great White Shark and Cape Fur Seal in False Bay. And we endured the oppressive heat and open spaces of the Etosha National Park in Namibia where lions and leopards were seen stalking prey in the savannahs and around the drying up water holes during the day.
METHODS
Passive infrared thermography techniques were applied to film wildlife during the day and night. A FLIR Infrared Camera model P65HS was used to capture burst recordings. The P65HS camera was kept at an emissivity of 0.96. Burst recording parameters were set to save radiometric images with a circular record mode saving every 2nd frame. On most recordings a telescopic 10º lens was added to the infrared camera.
EQUIPMENT
| ThermaCAM Infrared Camera | FLIR Infrared Camera model P65HS NSTC camera Manufactured March 2006 |
| Infrared Storage | HP laptop coupled with SEAGATE 100 gigabyte portable storage device. |
| Visual Image Recording | SONY digital Video Camera Model TRV900 and SONY DIGITAL VIDEO |
| Visual Image Recording | CANON EOS 30D Digital SLR |
Figure 1. Google Earth Image of AFRICA, Upper left arrow … Etosha National Park, Namibia, Lower arrow … western cape of South Africa
Figure 2. Google Earth Image of the Southwestern Cape of South Africa. Figure 3. Google Earth Image of Seal Island in False Bay, South Africa.
Figure 4. Frame of Infrared Image of Great White Shark Breach. Figure 5. Frame of Infrared Image of Great White Shark Breach.
Figure 6. Figure 7. Infrared Image of spout from Southern Right Whale.
Figure 8.Google Earth Image of Etosha Park in Namibia Figure 9.Google Earth Image of Etosha Pan Namibia
Figure 10.Visual photography provided courtesy of B. Denise McMillin-Allinson.
Figure 11.Infrared Image of resting leopard
SUMMARY
Infrared images increase the depth of information and add dimension to what is visually observed when looking at wildlife. Burst recording and post processing of footage have enabled AIRIS to have better success at capturing infrared information about wildlife.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. John (JACK) N. Allinson II is a SAMS® Accredited Marine Surveyor, Accredited Claims Adjuster for Florida, and a Level I Certified Thermographer. He is the president of Allinson Infrared Inspection Services (AKA AIRIS), Inc., a firm that provides wildlife Infrared studies based out of Jacksonville, Florida.
Mr. Allinson received his BS from the University of Florida through the College of Agriculture while majoring in Microbiology. His academic background, environmental scientist research projects, and field experience have been essential keystones in his success in using Infrared Thermography to capture images of wildlife.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
AIRIS, INC. specializes in teaching Infrared Thermography to Marine Surveyors and offering consulting services for applying infrared thermography to life sciences researchers and various other Applied Science projects.