A new low-cost, Open-Electronics solar-powered device enables continuous monitoring of wildlife in remote areas

Studying animal behavior in remote areas is a complex task, especially due to the lack of access to electricity and logistical limitations that prevent continuous observations. Installing cameras, changing their memory and batteries, and manually processing large amounts of images is expensive and very time-consuming. Now, a research team from the Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), the Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) and the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE: CSIC-UPF) has developed an innovative system that transforms the way wildlife is studied in the field.

It is a low-cost, modular device, powered by solar energy, that uses multiple synchronized Raspberry Pi microcomputers, each equipped with low-power cameras and sensors. This technology allows animal behavior to be monitored autonomously and simultaneously at multiple observation points, recording data continuously and stably throughout the day and for long periods. In addition, the system allows the control of multiple accessories, such as cameras, temperature sensors, infrared LED lights, among others.

Researchers preparing the new system with Raspberry Pi technology. Author: Galdric Mossoll-CREAF (CC BY-NC 4.0)

"This new system allows us to quantify the behavior of several animals at the same time with a temporal detail that, until now, was impossible to achieve", explains Marçal Pou-Rossell, CREAF researcher and lead author of the study.

Monitoring the western jackdaw

The methodology is described in a recent study published in the journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution, and has been validated within a long-term project on the evolutionary ecology of the western jackdaw (Corvus monedula) in Lleida, northeastern Spain. For four consecutive months, microcomputers recorded video images from the inside of 14 nest boxes, from sunrise to sunset without interruption.

The thousands of images collected by this system have been processed with artificial intelligence algorithms, which have allowed automated information to be extracted on key behaviors in the parental care of this species throughout the breeding season. Notable among these behaviors are the effort dedicated to nest construction, incubation and feeding of chicks, as well as the coordination of these activities between the pair and other pairs in the same colony.

Low-cost and accessible technology

With a total cost of just over €2,000, including solar panels, batteries and all electronic components, the system represents a much more affordable alternative to current commercial solutions. In addition, its open and modular design offers great flexibility to adapt to the specific needs of each study and incorporate a wide variety of sensors, motors, controllers and other accessories.

Researchers. Author: Galdric Mossoll-CREAF.

This versatility makes it suitable for exploring a wide variety of ecological questions, from those related to animal behavior to those related to environmental factors at multiple observation points. “It is a powerful example of how Open Electronics and new technologies can transform research in biology and ecology. Even with limited budgets, robust, field-ready tools can be developed to answer major questions about species ecology,” says Jolle W. Jolles, a researcher at CEAB-CSIC and senior author of the study.

Beyond behavior

The research is part of the COGPOP project, which aims to understand how the decisions animals make influence their demography and evolution. The project seeks to integrate animal behavior into the theory of life-history, offering a more complete view of how organisms adapt to changing environments.

With the new monitoring system, this advance joins a wider effort to conserve the western jackdaw on Lleida, a species that, although common in other parts of Europe, is in decline locally. Since 2015, the monitoring program has collected valuable data on how these birds make decisions in changing environmental contexts.

“We still do not fully understand how animals' decision-making affects their ability to survive, reproduce and pass on their genes to the next generation”, explains Daniel Sol Rueda, a CSIC researcher at CREAF and IBE and project leader. However, the researcher points out that “we suspect that there are some decisions, such as the level of parental involvement in caring for offspring, that can have a profound impact on population dynamics and even condition their evolutionary trajectory as environmental conditions change”.

Referenced article:

Pou-Rossell, M., Sol, D., & Jolles, J. W. (2025). A centralised multi-unit recording system for automated, off-grid animal observation and environmental monitoring. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 00, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.70129