Course: Applied Bioacoustics for Conservation 2026
Course: Bioacoustics For Citizen Scientists
Applied Bioacoustics for Conservation in Theory and Practice
Hosted by the Organsiation for Tropical Studies and run (mostly ) by African Bioacoustics Community team (Sea Search) – this hands on course will set you up to record wild life, process sounds and build and use sound libraries
Status: Applications Open
When: Session I: May 10-23, 2026 Session II: September 20 – October 3, 2026
Where: Skukuza, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Duration: 13 days
Tuition: $1,600 – $2,300
Language: English
Deadline: Application close 30 March, 2026
FULL DETAILS HERE on the Organisation for Tropical Studies Website: LINK HERE
This hands-on course provides an exploration of bioacoustics within terrestrial ecosystems, providing participants with the essential skills and knowledge to apply acoustic methodologies in ecological research and conservation efforts. Tailored toward graduate students, researchers and conservation practitioners, the two-week course covers both theoretical foundations and practical techniques necessary for field recording, sound-based biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem assessment in biodiverse terrestrial systems.
Through lectures, workshops, and field exercises, participants will learn to apply bioacoustic techniques in environmental research. By the end of the course, you will be proficient in collecting, analysing, and utilising acoustic data to address key conservation challenges. Special emphasis will be placed on practical, real-world applications in Africa’s rich ecosystems.
Key topics include:
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- Fundamentals of Bioacoustics: Explore how animals use sound for communication, navigation, and reproduction, and how these signals can be leveraged to assess behaviour, community composition, and ecosystem health.
- Recording Techniques and Research Design: Gain hands-on experience with acoustic recording technologies, from focusing on individual species to capturing broad soundscapes.
- Acoustic analysis: Learn to analyse acoustic data, from identifying and measuring animal calls to assessing entire soundscapes. Practical sessions will focus on using tools such as Raven for sound measurements, BirdNET for species recognition, and Kaleidoscope for ecoacoustic analysis. Field data collected in the park will be integral to these exercises.
