In this photo taken May 11, 2016, two tigers at the Milwaukee County Zoo in Milwaukee stand near a digital audio recorder. The zoo is among at least 20 zoos nationally helping The Prusten Project. Organizers are building a computer program with the zoo audio to be used to build a computer program that will be used when they start recording tigers in the wild next year. The program is expected to identify tigers by their voices, which will help determine more accurate population numbers so organizations know where to focus protection efforts. AP
MILWAUKEE — Researchers are trying to use sounds that tigers make to help protect and boost their populations.
The Prusten Project is the idea of Courtney Dunn, a senior mammal keeper at the Dallas World Aquarium.
The first part involves zoo tigers. Ten zoos have already recorded tigers with digital recorders, including the Milwaukee County Zoo, with at least another 10 planning to do so.
Dunn says tiger voices can be used like a unique vocal fingerprint.
Project officials are building a computer program with the zoo audio to help identify tigers and determine more accurate population numbers so organizations know where to focus protection efforts.
Dunn says they plan to put recorders in the wild next year in India and possibly Indonesia.
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