Book Review: ‘Thermal Imaging For Wildlife Applications' By Kayleigh Fawcett Williams

There’s a very interesting new book, just released entitled: 

‘Thermal Imaging For Wildlife Applications’ by Kayleigh Fawcett Williams published by Pelagic Publishing.

It was published on October 24th of this year. It is 176 pages in length, measures approx 9.5" high and 6.5" wide, and weighs 304 grams.

Right from the start, I may as well confess, that I really like books about electronic kit. In the world of bat ecology and to a lesser degree, Ecology at large, there aren’t many books on such topics. Which is to say, there aren’t many books out there, which deal specifically with the subject of electronic devices used by ecologists, biologists, and others involved in wildlife study and research.

On a related note, I’m happy to report that there are several, very interesting books printed over the last decade, dealing with the subject of wildlife recording. They cover forest habitat(s), underwater/dolphin calls, general guides to sound recording in the field, etc. I have intentions of acquiring one or two, at some point. 

Like many of you, my current bookcases are packed and overflowing.

This often forces me to place books on top of other books, which may be on top of papers I’ve printed out for reading, which are on top of a laptop that isn’t used very often anymore, etc. 

Which is when I discovered that (for whatever reason) it seems this book is a little more “slippery” than other books. Whenever I placed it on top of any sheets of paper, whether it was a single sheet of paper, or a short stack, this book always had a tendency to slip and slide away. 

It would slide off of whatever “small tower” it was precariously placed on (mea culpa). But only if placed on paper; it seem to fare well on all other random surfaces. Things like the rubberized cover of an iPad, the faux-steel cover of an HP laptop, etc. 

I can’t help but wonder, if someone at Pelagic Publishing is reading this in disbelief? (I’m just having some fun). 

In any case, we should probably bear in mind, that this was observed with my copy of the book. It may very well be that subsequent printings of the book will be slightly different. When printing for distribution, the molecular structure of the book’s covers might have a quantum change, rendering it a bit less slippery, who’s to say?

As always, a big thank you to Pelagic Publishing for the copy of the book! I feel honored to say that I received one of the very first copies. Even before the author received her copies! 

The book may be found, wherever books on Ecology (and related subjects) are sold.

The book has an eye-catching cover - depicting two Fallow Deer, whose image was captured by the author, using a FLIR T1030sc thermal camera.

The Contents are well-laid out, in a detailed, and logical order. This is immediately followed by a listing of the Figures shown in the book.

Thermal Imaging for Wildlife Applications offers the reader an excellent trek into the world of thermal imaging. It features a well-laid-out progression. Illustrating that this technology is not only very useful for bats, but almost any wildlife species which one may wish to study. The content was refreshing and engrossing. 

It features detailed descriptions of when and where thermal imaging has been referenced in the existing literature. The book serves as an excellent resource, pooling together records of the use of this technology over the past several decades. Along with detailed notes, and interesting information.

Pros:

• It's a unique and valuable reference on the intriguing, increasingly used technology which is thermal imaging.
• The book covers the current state of the art of these devices, along with some helpful guidance, for someone considering their acquisition and use. 
• It's a handy, one-stop resource, containing a wealth of education on the subject.

Cons:

• I would have liked to see more information on the individual imaging units available; as well as more specific recommendations.

Please note: You're reading a review of a book, dealing with high tech electronic kit - written by someone who adores high tech electronic kits! It hasn't been easy to remain stoic and objective. I've had to curb my enthusiasm, but I can say, that I really enjoyed it!

I'll can also tell you that even a geek like me, learned a few things about this amazing technology, which was completely unknown to me.

Some things I really liked:

The word cloud on page 5.

The paired photographs on page 7.

The photos on page 27.

I was pleased to read Chapter 3 ('Methods') because it explained the various ways in which these cameras may be deployed.

It was neat to see the 'Kayleigh says' paragraph boxes throughout the book - which contained enlightening tips/information shared by the Author. The boxes were reminiscent of those often seen in the 'For Dummies' series of books.

I enjoyed Chapter 5 ('Application Types'), and Chapter 6 ('Wildlife Applications'). 

As the author herself points out: The book may be read cover-to-cover, or used as a reference. This is certainly the case. I found the descriptions of several different types of thermal imagers engaging. 

I enjoyed learning a bunch of stuff that I was unaware of in regards to this unique technology: How it's deployed, utilized, and most importantly, how the resulting data is handled. You'll be sure to learn some things you might never have guessed (I did!).

Pages 84 through 124 contained an Appendix, detailing when and where thermal imaging was discussed in the existing literature - From 1968 to 2021. As someone who is fascinated with how instruments such as bat detectors, microscopes, and telescopes have evolved over time - I found it very interesting!

Page 125 ('Resources') shares very intriguing information, which you probably didn't know you needed. Which is neatly followed up with ('Supplier Directory') on page 127. To be blatantly honest - always one of my favourite parts of any book of this type. This is the section informing the reader exactly where they can get their hands on such magic. In other words: the list of active vendors/Dealers to check out when shopping for your own thermal imagers. 

I found the book delightful, engaging, informative, and an overall wonderful reference. It would be of interest to anyone who is either considering, or ready to begin using thermal imaging technology. It's not only a unique resource on the subject, but an impressive technical reference, which one can come back to again, and again.

It also serves as an easy to understand introduction to the world of thermal imaging. Which would be well suited to a newcomer to this fascinating and useful technology. 

Until next time,

Happy bat detecting! thermal imaging!