Using drones and ROV to assess the vulnerability of marine megafauna to the Fundão tailings dam collapse.

The ecology and life history of marine megafauna can answer the ecological importance of a region. This study assesses and monitors the abundance and home range of sea turtles, seabirds, marine mammals and the association with coastal microhabitats in potentially impacted areas at the Rio Doce river mouth, Comboios, and Piraquê-açu river mouth after the collapse of the Fundão dam. Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or drones) were used for megafauna species identification, behavior, population data, habitat characterization, and monitoring of environmental protection areas.