Google Earth zooms in on endangered species
Could an internet mapping program help save wildlife, preserve forests and protect biodiversity the world over? It sounds far-fetched, but Google has taken on the challenge, launching a new feature for Google Earth, which helps conservationists do their job.
An example of where the globe-trotting software could help the planet is provided by Chief Almir Surui from Brazil, who has been working with Google for the past year to map his tribe's lands in the Amazon and to create a 50-year plan for sustainable living. He explains: "The Google Earth Outreach team is helping me and my people to map our lands to ensure our knowledge is saved for future generations and to ensure our forests are not cut down by illegal loggers."
[Via Daily Telegraph]
How does it work? The new software lets charities and NGOs show the world what they are doing by highlighting territories where they are carrying out work, plotting points that can be accessed to provide written, audio and video information in what is known as a "layer". These can then be seen by millions of users. This allows real-time monitoring of the areas, as well as providing a clear record of particular sites, showing how they change over time due to climate change and other factors.
