Why this target group?
Nature photographers, as well as naturalists, have a very broad perspective on nature. Not only do they have good knowledge of the regions where they take photographs, but they often spend many hours observing how the landscape and behavior of species changes. Many of them have very powerful photographic equipment allowing them to approach fauna stealthily and frequently incorporate camera traps.
Nature photographers tend to be very particular about the photos they take and often discard many images that do not meet their standards. However, these photos, when associated with spatial and temporal information, can be converted into high quality data useful for science, because photos can be added to the records during or after the submission.
Why participate?
Nature photographers appreciate what they observe. By collaborating, they will contribute information about wildlife, improving knowledge-based, data-driven decisions. This facilitates a sustainable approach to fauna management and conservation.
Collaborating in the recording of fauna is an opportunity to increase knowledge about nature, and become an active player in biodiversity conservation.
How to participate?
The iMammalia mobile app has a very user-friendly design, allowing users to record incidental observations of different species. You can include photographs of the species or their signs, such as footprints, droppings, and food remains, which makes record validation easier.
The MammalWeb application allows citizen scientists to easily upload all photos recorded by camera traps, while respecting the confidentiality of their precise location. Species are identified by citizens and experts, generating data of great scientific value.
The MammalWeb application also allows participation through identifying photos from your own camera traps or collaborating by identifying photos from other regions or collaborators, while enjoying fantastic photographs and images. Even if you don’t have previous experience, in a very short time you will be able to identify most of the species and other users will monitor and validate the photos you identify.
If you’d like to contribute on a more professional level or are interested in establishing a research project or wildlife monitoring program, the AGOUTI and TRAPPER (Poland) applications allow you to create projects to effectively and easily manage the information obtained with networks of cameras or individual devices. The applications help to annotate the photographs and sequences obtained to generate the data necessary to achieve the objectives of the monitoring and research.