Utility of multispectral digital aerial videography and spot satellite imagery in identification of ocelot cover types

Currently, 95% thornshrub. The endangered ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis) prefers this cover type. Methods to identify and quantify potential ocelot habitat are necessary for protection and recovery of this species. Multispectral digital aerial videography (MDAV) and System Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) satellite imagery were analyzed to determine if they could accurately identify cover classifications. Supervised and unsupervised classifications were used to describe the spectral signatures of the canopy cover. The unsupervised classification was inaccurate for the number of variables present (e.g. soil moisture, soil type). Supervised classification of MDAV and SPOT satellite imagery produced >95% accuracy within a single frame of the MDAV. Mosaicing MDAV frames together or using 1 frame signature for a predictive model of another was deemed inaccurate. MDAV is a useful tool in identification of ocelot cover types if the classification area is small and contained within 1 or 2 frames. A single frame of MDAV contains 121.5 hectares with a pixel size of 2 m2. For greater areas of classification, SPOT satellite imagery (3600 km2) is the preferred sensor for identification of ocelot cover types. SPOT satellite imagery has reduced resolution (20 m2 pixel size) compared to MDAV.