Change Detection
Definition
A remote sensing technique that compares satellite or aerial images from different dates to identify areas where land cover has changed. Used in wildlife crime to detect deforestation, illegal clearing, and new infrastructure in protected areas.
- Data source
- Satellite or aerial imagery
- Method
- Comparison across different capture dates
- Wildlife crime use
- Deforestation, illegal clearing, new infrastructure
- Setting
- Protected areas
Common questions
How does change detection support a wildlife crime investigation rather than just conservation monitoring?+
Dated before-and-after imagery can establish when illegal clearing or road-building began, which helps correlate the activity with land records, permit applications, or the movements of a suspect, turning a general environmental concern into evidence tied to a specific timeframe.
What limits the evidentiary value of change detection alone?+
Imagery shows that land cover changed but not who caused it or why, so it is typically paired with ground-truthing, ownership records, or witness evidence to build a case rather than used as standalone proof of a specific offence.
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