JEAN-PIERRE HUGOT,b,c PATTAMAPORN KITTAYAPONG,a

ABSTRACT: Geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing have been increasingly used in ecology and epidemiology, providing a spatial approach for animal health issues. Recent development of earth environmental satellites—i.e., their growing number, improving sensor resolutions and capabilities—has offered new opportunities to delineate possible habitats and understand animals and associated parasites in their environment, by identifying the nature and structure of land use, hydrological network, soil hydromorphy, and human settlements. Inte-grated into GIS, remotely sensed and other geo-referenced data allow both spatial and temporal analyses of animal ecology and health. How-ever, a review of their applications has showed the poor quality of data sources and processing used, revealing limitations between theory and practical implementations. As an example, the assessment of the ex-pected distribution of Bandicoot rats, main agricultural pest and vector of zoonoses in Phrae province (North Thailand), illustrates a rationa