IP Video Monitors Animal Behavior At Vienna Zoo

IndigoVision’s integrated IP video security surveillance system has been adopted by Vienna Zoo for use in some ground-breaking research. Pandas, rhinos and penguins are being continuously monitored by CCTV cameras as part of an animal behavior research program. The system was designed and installed by IndigoVision’s local partner C&C Salzgeber GmbH.

‘Control Center’, IndigoVision’s IP video management software, provides complete control for the 15 fixed and PTZ cameras being used to monitor the animal enclosures. Research technicians and students can control the cameras in real time and view live and recorded video from any of the enclosures. IndigoVision’s ‘Control Center’ software is licensed on a per seat basis free of charge, allowing researchers to deploy 10 workstations throughout the zoo at no additional cost. Recorded video is also copied onto external hard disks so students can analyze the video remotely on their own laptops installed with ‘Control Center’.

The analog CCTV cameras and microphones are connected to IndigoVision’s 8000 transmitter/receiver modules. The 8000 digitally compresses the video and audio for transmission over the network. IndigoVision’s advanced compression technology ensures minimal impact on the IP network. The ability to transmit and record high-quality audio was an important criteria for the zoo when choosing IndigoVision’s solution.

“A key factor for us when selecting the video system was to find a future-proof solution that was easy to operate and could be incorporated into our existing infrastructure,” said Dagmar Schratter, the zoo's director. “Excellent compression means that all the video can be transferred via our existing network backbone.”

All the cameras are continuously recorded on an IndigoVision standalone NVR with 1 Terabyte of storage. The amount of video stored is considerably reduced by using the Activity Controlled Framerate (ACF) function built into the 8000 modules.

When a scene is inactive the video can be streamed at a much lower frame rate. As soon as the motion analysis software detects movement the video is streamed at full frame rate. This allows the Zoo to keep up to 1 year of recordings on a single NVR. A secondary NVR mirrors the primary NVR to provide redundancy in the event of an NVR failure or during maintenance. Video is also exported for use by local TV stations as was the case recently when viewers were enthralled by the birth of a baby panda recorded by the IP video system.

Featured

  • Security Today Announces The Govies Government Security Award Winners for 2025

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 winners in The Govies Government Security Awards. The awards honor outstanding government security products in a variety of categories. Read Now

  • Survey: 60 Percent of Organizations Using AI in IT Infrastructure

    Netwrix, a cybersecurity provider focused on data and identity threats, today announced the release of its annual global 2025 Cybersecurity Trends Report based on a global survey of 2,150 IT and security professionals from 121 countries. It reveals that 60% of organizations are already using artificial intelligence (AI) in their IT infrastructure and 30% are considering implementing AI. Read Now

  • New Research Reveals Global Video Surveillance Industry Perspectives on AI

    Axis Communications, the global industry leader in video surveillance, has released its latest research report, ‘The State of AI in Video Surveillance,’ which explores global industry perspectives on the use of AI in the security industry and beyond. The report reveals current attitudes on AI technologies thanks to in-depth interviews with AI experts from Axis’ global network and a comprehensive survey of more than 5,800 respondents, including distributors, channel partners, and end customers across 68 countries. The resulting insights cover AI integration and the opportunities and challenges that exist with regard to security, safety, business intelligence, and operational efficiency. Read Now

  • SIA Urges Tariff Relief for Security Industry Products

    Today, the Security Industry Association has sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick requesting relief from tariffs for security industry products and asking that the Trump administration formulate a process that allows companies to apply for product-specific exemptions. The security industry is an important segment of the U.S. economy, contributing over $430 billion in total economic impact and supporting over 2.1 million jobs. Read Now

  • Report Shows Cybercriminals Continue Pivot to Stealthier Tactics

    IBM recently released the 2025 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index highlighting that cybercriminals continued to pivot to stealthier tactics, with lower-profile credential theft spiking, while ransomware attacks on enterprises declined. IBM X-Force observed an 84% increase in emails delivering infostealers in 2024 compared to the prior year, a method threat actors relied heavily on to scale identity attacks. Read Now

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Hanwha QNO-7012R

    Hanwha QNO-7012R

    The Q Series cameras are equipped with an Open Platform chipset for easy and seamless integration with third-party systems and solutions, and analog video output (CVBS) support for easy camera positioning during installation. A suite of on-board intelligent video analytics covers tampering, directional/virtual line detection, defocus detection, enter/exit, and motion detection.