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Citizen Science / Feed

Anyone can become a citizen scientist - even experts! If you're excited about exploring new areas of conservation tech, contributing to projects, or developing and launching your own citizen science projects or apps, this is the group for you.

discussion

Machine learning for bird pollination syndromes

I am a PhD student working on bird pollination syndromes in South Africa and looking specifically at urbanizations effect on sunbirds and sugarbirds. By drawing from a large...

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Hi @craigg, my background is machine learning and deep neural networks, and I'm also actively involved with developing global geospatial ecological models, which I believe could be very useful for your PhD studies.  

First of all to your direct challenges, I think there will be many different approaches, which could serve more or less of your interests.

As one idea that came up, I think it will be possible in the coming months, through a collaboration, to "fine-tune" a general purpose "foundation model" for ecology that I'm developing with University of Florida and Stanford University researchers.  More here.

You may also find the 1+ million plant trait inferences searchable by native plant habitats at Ecodash.ai to be useful.  A collaborator at Stanford actually is from South Africa, and I was just about to send him this e.g. https://ecodash.ai/geo/za/06/johannesburg

I'm happy to chat about this, just reach out!  I think there could also be a big publication in Nature (or something nice) by mid-2025, with dozens of researchers demonstrating a large number of applications of the general AI techniques I linked to above.

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discussion

WhatsApp images

Hello All! I want citizen scientists to upload images of particular animals and need the location information associated with the images. My understanding is WhatsApp (easiest way...

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Hi Paula, you're right that WhatsApp strips EXIF metadata (including GPS data), which makes it tricky to collect location information when people share photos. Perhaps you could use Google Photos/Apple Photos. Both automatically embed location data in the images if the device’s location services are enabled when the photo is taken. Then, if users upload their images to one of these platforms, you can ask them to share the photo with a link (which will include the location).

Otherwise, do you know why people are reluctant to use iNaturalist? Seek has a simpler interface and could be a solution for those hesitant about using iNaturalist ?

Hope that helps, 

Cheers, 

Lucie

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Undergrad team available to tackle conservation problem statements

Is anyone out there interested in pairing with an undergrad team of students to help you tackle your research problem?This is through the University of Maryland's environmental...

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Hi Colleen,

Thank you for sharing this exciting opportunity. I am Lucie, International Development Manager of Natural Solutions. We are a company at the intersection of biodiversity and tech for over 15 years. We specialize in developing digital tools for conservation organizations, researchers, and policymakers, helping them collect, analyze, and visualize biodiversity data. More recently, we’ve been exploring new possibilities and began to analyze what we could propose to businesses to support them in understanding their dependencies and impacts on nature (impact assessment platforms that help companies quantify their environmental footprint, define relevant indicators, and develop actionable biodiversity strategies etc)

We would be interested in exploring whether this topic could be relevant for your students.

Would this align with your students' interests and skill sets? Additionally, could you share more details on the timeline and any constraints—when would the project start, and what are the expected deliverables?

Looking forward to discussing this further! My email is lucie_gallegos@natural-solutions.eu 
Don't hesitate to reach out!

Best, 

Lucie

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discussion

Thesis Collaboration

Hello everyone, I am an experienced Data Scientist and I am currently studying a second master in Environment Management (ULB - Belgium). I am currently looking for a master...

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Hi Simon,
Did you already contact INBO? Both biologging and citizen science are big themes at INBO. Last year we had a master thesis on camera trapping invasive muntjac. You can send me a private message for more info!

Hi Simon,

We're a biologging start-up based in Antwerp and are definitely open to collaborate if you're interested. We've got some programs going on with local zoo's. Feel free to send me a DM if you'd like to know more.

Hi Simon,
We (Reneco International Wildlife Consultants) have an ongoing collaboration with a local University (Abu Dhabi, UAE)  for developing AI tools (cameratrap/drone images and video analyses) and biomimetic robots applied to conservation (e.g  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954124004813 ). We also have a genetic team working on eDNA.    Field experience could be possible, in UAE or Morocco.
Feel free to write me back if you may be interested and would like to know more
 

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discussion

Birdweather Puc use as a passive sensor

We were recently donated Birdweather Pucs for monitoring birds on the reserve. These devices have worked exceptionally well as active sensors when placed in locations with 2.4 GHz...

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Checking the Birdweather FAQ, I guess you need to be more detailed on the setup description. For example, if you use a powerbank to power the PUC that is NOT ALWAYS-ON, it may swich-off after some time. So details of your setup may matter.

Caveat, I do not have a PUC, but tried to understand you problem.

Thanks for the advice Wade!

It will be great to hear Tim's feedback, but thanks for your advice! I think Lithium batteries are the next step for us. I have successfully gotten it working with a power bank attached, but that really impedes its portability. Will also fiddle around with the GPS per your recommendations...

 

Hello Walter

Thanks for your input. I have achieved better results with the puc when hooking it up to a powerbank. Have got them set up to "recording only", and GPS to low power mode. Looking to now try eliminating the need for a power bank as that impairs the portability of the puc.

 

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discussion

Roe deer protection needed in Hungary, national government should stop funding hunting organizations - call for international support

According to Bern Convention, The European Roe deer - Capreolus capreolus, is protected fauna species Annex III, however in Hungary is legal...

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A quick search comes up with the following answer. Let us know if that helps.

Annex III of the European Environmental Agency (EEA) does not directly regulate the protection or hunting of specific species. Instead, it's important to look at Annexes II and IVof the EU Habitats Directive (Directive 92/43/EEC) for species protection and hunting regulations in the European Union.

Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is not listed in Annex IV (which covers strictly protected species), meaning it is not afforded the strictest protection that prevents all forms of exploitation. However, Annex III of the Bern Convention, which relates to species that may be exploited but require careful regulation, includes species like roe deer.

In many European countries, roe deer hunting is permitted under specific regulated conditions. These regulations aim to ensure sustainable hunting practices and maintain healthy population levels, with hunting seasons and quotas determined based on local wildlife management policies.

In summary, roe deer are generally not strictly protected across the EU, and hunting is allowed under regulation, though specific conditions depend on national and regional legislation.

Disclaimer: I can't guarantee that the above is not a hallucination :-)

Thanks, we know they are breeding these animals here, I asked, since it's seems to be an expensive hobby, we need to allocate more funding for rural women in entrepreneurship and access to technologies, reduce poverty in Hungary No1 priority. 

That's the problem local peoples can not afford buying wild meat from the "local shop"

Fully uncontrolled activites in Hungary

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discussion

WILDLABS AWARDS 2024 - Fostering bat conservation and citizen science in Zimbabwe: Establishing bat groups and training individuals to use bat detectors

Through our project, awarded by the WILDLABS Awards 2024, we aim to establish three bat groups across Zimbabwe. These groups will be trained to use Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro bat...

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Hi everyone

Our project on fostering bat conservation and citizen science in Zimbabwe has reached another level. To date, the project team has established two bat groups in Bulawayo and Chimanimani. Forty-three people from these two provinces have been educated on bat biology and trained in the use of bat detectors. The trainees appreciated the importance of bats in the environment, and that their conservation is essential.

Due to limited resources, the training sessions were not sufficient for the trainees, as the Kaleidoscope software for analyzing data is somewhat complex. A similar training workshop will be conducted in Harare.

Next steps of project:

Continue training bat group participants on using bat detectors and analyzing acoustic data;
Reach out to other areas and establish bat groups across the country;
Promote and research important habitats for bats in Zimbabwe.
We continue to express our gratitude to @wildlabs  for funding the project. The team: @Ronnie @Ropafadzo @Karen

I would love to see my bat detector designs in use in Africa - drop me a line, let's see if we can get something to happen - I'm pipistrelledetector at gmail dot com

http://www.pippyg.com

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discussion

Building a biodiversity startup focused on getting landowners to use native plants

I'm fresh off my MEM/MBA degrees building a startup called EarthScape that is focused on assisting landowners in the switch from turf grass lawns (the largest USA irrigated...

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event

Design-led innovation for nature

How can space-enabled data and services be translated into information that is trusted and actionable, fuelling responsible behaviours towards nature? A new programme where SMEs will be paired with design consultancies...

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Catch up with The Variety Hour: August 2024

This month, we hear about acoustic imaging sonar that reveals northern elephant seal behaviour, GPS tags that monitor the success of rehabilitated and reintroduced Andean condors, infrared cameras that detect thermal...

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discussion

Enhancing Public/Private Safety and Health Through Toilet Mapping

IntroductionToilets are essential facilities that ensure hygiene and convenience in our communities. However, during periods of heavy rainfall, these vital structures often face...

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discussion

Volunteering in Bioacoustics

Hi everyone! I have just joined Wildlabs and I am deeply passionate about bioacoustics and biodiversity conservation. I have been following various impactful work in the field...

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article

Training Youth and Community on Data Collection as Citizen Scientists.

I’m Ester Matingisa, conservationist with a demonstrated interest in bird ecology and I devoted a great deal of time to working on environmental and biodiversity conservation projects. I’m currently working with...

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Great to read about how you are including your community in conservation tech efforts, Ester!!!
So inspiring Ester...
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discussion

Data loggers for sewage monitoring

Hi WILDLABS communityRecently I've been noticing some signs that our local beach in St Andrews, Scotland may be having raw sewage discharged. The monitoring by SEPA, as far as I...

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Hi Jamie,

Nitrate sensors for sewage are quite pricey, so I might go with a bunch of OpenCTD loggers, on the theory that the conductivity will spike in sewage.  There may also be a detectable temperature signal.

Jamie/Harold: OpenCTDs are awesome but unfortunately conductivity won't indicate sewage against a background of seawater. I think DO is an interesting avenue to explore but I'm not aware of much published research on correlations there. I've heard of folks using a variety of fluorescence-based sensors (e.g., CDOM to indicate the organic matter, tryptophan-like fluorescence, and possibly optical brightener fluorescence). I think it's all still a very active field of research, so can't wait to hear what you learn! 

BTW, I thought of SMRU's tags when I just saw this other thread to which @htarold recently replied over here: 

https://wildlabs.net/discussion/how-add-salt-water-switch

If you can share how SMRU implements your tags' saltwater switch(es) in that thread, @jamie_mac, that would be a huge help!

Thanks both for the replies and apologies for my tardy response. It seems this is not straightforward problem which is a shame as something which could do this would be very handy for holding water companies and regulators (or the government in the case of Scotland) to account. @insituphile - I'll look into the salt water switch.
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New WILDLABS Funding & Finance group

WildLabs will soon launch a 'Funding and Finance' group. What would be your wish list for such a group? Would you be interested in co-managing or otherwise helping out?

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This is great, Frank! @StephODonnell, maybe we can try to bring someone from #Superorganism (@tomquigley ?) or another venture company (#XPRIZE) into the fold!
I find the group to be dope, fundraising in the realm of conservation has been tough especially for emerging conservation leaders. There are no centralized grants tracking common...
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