Software plays an increasingly vital role in conservation, helping to protect and manage biodiversity through innovative technological solutions. It also facilitates collaboration among researchers, local communities, and governments, empowering them to develop sustainable conservation strategies. However, many of us working in conservation tech don't have the benefit of a large team of software experts to collaborate with or bounce ideas off of. We aim to change that.
This group is for anyone interested in applying software to conservation and wildlife research. Whether you're a developer eager to contribute to conservation or a newbie with valuable data and ideas but limited software experience, this group connects people with diverse expertise. It provides a space for asking questions, sharing resources, and staying informed about new technologies and best practices. We are also committed to supporting technologists and conservationists from the Global South, ensuring that everyone has access to the tools, knowledge, and opportunities to contribute meaningfully.
Our goal is to foster collaboration and avoid "reinventing the wheel" by sharing solutions, whether it's an application, design approach, or a simple script. We also aim to lower barriers to entry by offering mentorship and guidance and providing feedback on technical ideas. This supportive community is a place to learn, connect, and contribute to the advancement of conservation through software. Whether you're looking for software and mobile app developers to help you with your conservation tech needs, have questions about development, are looking for resources, or would like to share your own app, software, or gaming tools, this is the group for you!
Resources
Header photo: Trevor Hebert
Group curators
Wildlife Protection Solutions (WPS)
Software Engineer in Conservation Tech



- 2 Resources
- 15 Discussions
- 10 Groups
Wildlife Protection Solutions (WPS)
Director of Technology at Wildlife Protection Solutions. Primarily focuses on leveraging machine learning and advanced data analytics to combat poaching, monitor biodiversity, and predict environmental threats.
- 0 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 5 Groups
Wildlife Protection Solutions (WPS)
Software Engineer in Conservation Tech



- 2 Resources
- 15 Discussions
- 10 Groups
- @machadoams
- | He/Him
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC)
I am a behavioural ecologist interested in the role of individual variation in ecological interactions and in human-wildlife dimensions
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 9 Groups
- @kristian.cuervo
- | He/Him
Applied Mathematics student in Denmark, interested in applications of mathematics to ecology and nature conservation. Currently interested in developing sensors for perimeter detection in wildlife conservations in Africa.
- 0 Resources
- 4 Discussions
- 9 Groups
- @Jen_NZ
- | she/her
- 0 Resources
- 2 Discussions
- 7 Groups
- @cappel
- | she/her
Wildlife Science PhD candidate working on computer vision with camera traps and bioacoustics
- 0 Resources
- 4 Discussions
- 13 Groups
Michigan State University
Conservation Criminologist
- 0 Resources
- 2 Discussions
- 7 Groups
- @CDean
- | she/her
Grad Student, UW-Stout, Beaver habitat biodiversity research, process based restoration
- 0 Resources
- 7 Discussions
- 6 Groups
- @capreolus
- | he/him
Capreolus e.U.
wildlife biologist with capreolus.at





- 1 Resources
- 78 Discussions
- 16 Groups
- @JakobWiren
- | He,him
Swedish soon-to-be graduate engineer in AI/ML and robotics. Writing my master thesis in using decision trees for anti-poaching in Limpopo, South Africa. Am passionate about conservation, AI and travelling. Help me find a way to help you!
- 0 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 13 Groups
- @Gabonia
- | He/him
GABriel ONIfade A. (GABONIA / mrGab), is an educator, a CS and AI advocate, a Data Engineer, an AI Engineer, an Entrepreneur, and curriculum developer based in Brooklyn, New York (NYC DOE District 19). With a background in Systems Engineering, Gabriel specializes in CS & AI Edu.
- 1 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 4 Groups
- @Mauricio_Akmentins
- | he/him
National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina (CONICET)
Researcher and conservationist, focused on the conservation of the endemic and threatened amphibian species of Andean ecoregions of NW Argentina.

- 1 Resources
- 3 Discussions
- 6 Groups
Software Engineer, Web Developer, Tech Enthusiast. I am software engineer with a background in instrumentation, primarily developing using C/C ++. Skilled in web development, with a Grad Cert in Web Development. Enjoy experimenting with tech, e.g. Raspberry Pi, Arduino and IoT.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 7 Groups
Two years in Cape Town, South Africa. Yearly visits to Rwanda. If you love to code, and all things Python/deep learning/tech stuff/ then you'll have an awesome time!
16 January 2024
Using geospatial data and the TNFD L.E.A.P approach to assess nature-related risks, impacts and opportunities in supply chains.
4 January 2024
SEE Shell is an innovative phone app that uses machine learning to identify products made from the shell of the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle.
14 December 2023
TagRanger® is a state-of-the-art wildlife finding, monitoring and tracking solution for research, conservation and environmental professionals. With superior configurability for logging data, reporting location and...
23 November 2023
Article
annual license offers available for wildlabs members
21 November 2023
Join the Rainforest Connection & Arbimon team to develop software for biodiversity monitoring!
14 November 2023
A secure platform designed for those working to monitor & protect natural resources. Insight facilitates sharing experience, knowledge & tools to increase efficiency & effectiveness in conservation. By...
7 November 2023
Listen in on our interview with Mara Elephant Project’s Tracking Manager, Wilson Sairowua, as he explains how MEP is using software, geofencing and drone technologies to resolve human-elephant conflict across Maasai...
20 October 2023
Earth Blox makes dataset from Impact Observatory and Vizzuality available to Google Earth Engine developers via the #AwesomeGEECommunityCatalog
16 October 2023
Many people know of the Mozilla Foundation because of the FireFox browser and other open source software they produce together with countless volunteers. Perhaps less well known, the Mozilla Foundation also runs a...
4 October 2023
At Wildya YOU, you will empower people to live happier lives and help nature recover.
4 October 2023
Careers
New senior position in IUCN’s Science and Data Centre. Supporting, developing and maintaining the technological foundation that underpins The IUCN Red List of Threatened species and its underlying database.
24 August 2023
June 2025
event
November 2025
September 2024
event
46 Products
Recently updated products
Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
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Hi everyone,What should we share or demo about Software Quality Assurance? Alex Saunders and I, the two Software QA people at Wildlife Protection Solutions (WPS) are going to... |
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Software Development, AI for Conservation, Open Source Solutions | 3 days 16 hours ago | |
Lively and informative discussion, I would very much like to contribute if there is some active development work with regards to this. I have recent experience with using... |
+31
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Data management and processing tools, Camera Traps, Software Development | 5 days 11 hours ago | |
We are please to inform that we have implemented the point 1 and 4 and with this have finalized the project. The latest improvements:Improvement in findability of help... |
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Animal Movement, Data management and processing tools, Software Development | 6 days 10 hours ago | |
My name is Frank Short and I am a PhD Candidate at Boston University in Biological Anthropology. I am currently doing fieldwork in Indonesia using machine-learning powered passive... |
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Acoustics, AI for Conservation, Animal Movement, Data management and processing tools, Early Career, Emerging Tech, Ethics of Conservation Tech, Protected Area Management Tools, Software Development | 2 weeks ago | |
Interesting. Thanks for the explanation. Nice to hear your passion showing through. |
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AI for Conservation, Camera Traps, Data management and processing tools, Open Source Solutions, Software Development | 3 weeks 3 days ago | |
📸 Do you use camera traps in your work? Take part in our survey!Hi everyone! I’m currently a final-year engineering... |
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Camera Traps, AI for Conservation, Data management and processing tools, Open Source Solutions, Software Development | 3 weeks 3 days ago | |
Ritika, All the best! I hope someone provides a more substantive answer! I have also graduated with masters in AI and ML recently. Difference being I am at the end of my... |
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AI for Conservation, Software Development | 1 month ago | |
New stable release : v1.5.1We are pleased to announce the latest release with several important enhancement, fixes and documentation improvements to ensure compatibility with the... |
+15
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Acoustics, AI for Conservation, Open Source Solutions, Software Development | 1 month 1 week ago | |
Hi Ryan, hmm, I had no idea there was a microphone named that. I thought about how it’s used to lure birds for netting, and I like Greek Mythology. I thought it was a perfect fit... |
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Acoustics, Emerging Tech, Funding and Finance, Protected Area Management Tools, Software Development | 1 month 2 weeks ago | |
Thank you, so very much Adrien!!! believe me your info will cut my field sampling in more than a half, I really appreciated it! |
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Software Development | 1 month 3 weeks ago | |
Yep we are working on it 1/ segment 2/remote unwanted ecosytem3/get local potential habitat4/generate5/add to picture |
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Geospatial, AI for Conservation, Data management and processing tools, Open Source Solutions, Software Development | 1 month 3 weeks ago | |
All sound, would be nice if there were only 5, though! |
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AI for Conservation, Citizen Science, Data management and processing tools, Emerging Tech, Ethics of Conservation Tech, Funding and Finance, Geospatial, Open Source Solutions, Software Development | 1 month 4 weeks ago |
Service Designer
13 July 2022 9:05am
Director, Imaging Technology Lab (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
11 July 2022 6:32pm
Data Fellow at National Center for Ecological Analysis & Synthesis
9 July 2022 1:02am
Consultancy: Development and Implementation of SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) for São Tomé and Príncipe
1 July 2022 6:15pm
Hello there
1 July 2022 5:00pm
New Conservation Tech Directory update
27 June 2022 4:45pm
UKAN+ Monitoring UK Biodiversity Symposium 15-16th June
31 May 2022 2:58pm
ICT Assistant
31 May 2022 12:50pm
Full Stack Engineer (US)
13 May 2022 12:58am
Full Stack Engineer (Global)
11 May 2022 9:54pm
Looking for examples of cities using digital sustainability tools
22 April 2022 4:28pm
Join the Black Mammalogists Week Hackathon!

19 April 2022 12:00am
Looking for - Intelligence Database Software
14 June 2021 10:13am
Opportunity: Coding 4 Conservation
10 March 2022 12:00am
Apply now: Women in Conservation Technology Programme, Kenya
8 March 2022 12:00am
Technical Difficulties: Lessons from the Field of App Development

21 December 2021 12:00am
Use of apps to monitor wildlife trade
14 October 2021 8:29pm
3 November 2021 12:46am
Not designed specifically for wildlife marketplaces, but SMART Collect can be used for citizen science and community reporting projects.
5 November 2021 5:22pm
DeerLab.com's trail camera software was built to manage and analyze photos. It's a cloud-based web application that has a number of features, from photo recognition to manual tagging of any animal. While geared toward hunters, it's also used for camera trap studies.
5 November 2021 6:56pm
Biologists without Borders has developed a free mobile app (i of the Elephant) that lets the public report where ivory is being sold. We send our reports of ivory being offered for sale to US Fish and Wildlife, State wildlife agents, National Whistleblowers Center, and the Department of Homeland Security for investigation and prosecution. So far, our intel has led to six successful prosecutions in the US. It can be used anywhere in the world.
Driven by data: Improved protected area effectiveness in Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan
29 October 2021 12:00am
How do I turn a conservation tech project into a product?
20 October 2021 12:00am
Lead mobile engineer for EarthRanger
21 September 2021 7:14pm
Tools for conservation management
12 April 2019 10:57am
16 July 2021 3:32pm
I replied to one of your other posts with this so apologies if you're seeing it twice, but have you tried Vulcan's EarthRanger? That's the only thing I can think of that hasn't already been mentioned (SMART, CyberTracker, etc.).
30 July 2021 2:04pm
I just thought of something else that might be an option - Miradi Share (https://www.miradishare.org/ux/home).
3 September 2021 1:28pm
Kobocollect could be adapted to and easy to use: https://www.kobotoolbox.org/
Technology for illiterate community game guards
6 July 2019 5:47am
2 August 2021 10:16pm
I wanted to share this wonderful website I just came across from the Earth Defenders Toolkit that lists a bunch of apps and software/platforms that are used for data collection, analysis, sharing & by many Indigenous groups. Some of them specifically are aimed towards illiterate users.
Link - https://earthdefenderstoolkit.com/toolfinder
They also link to the platforms they're referencing so you can learn more about them. I hadn't heard of many of them, but they seem really useful! Cadasta, Mapbox, Field Papers, OpenDroneMap, Sapelli, etc etc
3 August 2021 4:17pm
Thanks for posting Carlybatist - very interesting link.
A couple of our WildTrack users have asked about the possibility of collecting our footprint data through the SMART app. Does anyone know a developer connected with SMART who might be able to help us discuss this possibility? Thank you!
Zoe
3 August 2021 5:05pm
I believe Monica Harris is the SMART partnership program manager - https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicabarcellosharris/.
Low-cost app and web site development for NGOs
26 July 2021 12:37am
30 July 2021 4:15pm
The depth of institutional support they have put together is impressive. I'm forwarding them to a student dev I know and will definitely keep them in mind to recommend to NGOs. Thanks for posting this!
Podcast: Designing tech for learning wild calls and audio analysis via citizen science
14 July 2021 11:34pm
WILDLABS Tech Tutors: Season 3

6 July 2021 12:00am
Ecognize: A platform for environmental and conservation issue reporting
8 April 2021 11:32pm
23 April 2021 6:17pm
Great initiative. Very detailed and many features. Wondering how nothing like this exists yet. One thing I'm thinking of is privacy. For many folks on the front line that I know (many of which indigenous persons) posting anyting that would be traceable to them in any way would be a real risk. I probably didn't read carefully enough sorry.
Theun Amsterdam
29 April 2021 2:42pm
I definitely think it's a great idea! I think some of the reasons there are country-by-country versions of initiatives like this are because of country-specific laws, regulations, privacy restrictions, level of enforcement, etc. There is also the issue of multi-national organizations such as WWF, WCS, FFI, etc. who may be working in some areas alongside local, community-led initiatives. You'd just want to be careful that there was equitable distribution of reports. On that note, internet access and smartphones may not be available in many places globally. I work in Madagascar and this would definitely be a problem. Perhaps allowing some sort of retroactive reporting, so someone who saw something but didn't have internet could at least report it the following week when they are back at a research station or town, for example.
I would worry too about the users reporting illegal activity and what specific security protections are in place to ensure any personally-identifiable information cannot be leaked. It might be worth thinking about how those engaging in the illegal activities themselves may try to weaponize an app like this, e.g., a large-scale mining operation reporting individuals from the community for cutting down trees (the scale of one versus the other is very different, but company-backed illegal activity will have more resources than an indigenous tribe, for example). Given how corrupt officials in different goverment agencies help perpetuate shady business dealings, there could be targeted or inequitable enforcement based on reports like this.
I would recommend reaching out to folks specifically embedded in this space, such as the people at TRAFFIC, TRACE (wildlife forensics), etc. The folks at SMART will likely have good ideas, and already have some of the functionality you're describing (albeit focused on rangers and park officials rather than the general public at large).
18 June 2021 11:54am
Hi writer (I didn't get your name ;-),
if you like we can talk for 30min or so to review your solution. There are a number of them out there, including our Cluey Data Collector & Tracking app.
The main things that we wanted to solve was:
- ease to start a project (without requiring the user to understand things like data-models etc.)
- seamless integration with other data sources and (realtime) analytical functions to help rangers optimize patrols etc.
- ease to share observations
- ease to combine/aggregate project
Would be great to share some ideas and see if we can help each other,
Best,
Jan Kees
Software/Programme for counting objects in a photo
5 March 2019 12:04am
5 March 2019 6:14am
Hi Wilson, Similar product we are creating at https://aivi.in . We are focused on audio, image, vedio based intelligent and based out of Bangalore,India. Currently implementing this solution( Computer vision, IoT , Cloud , Intelligent) for one of santuary in India to detect poachers and animals
Attaching idea snap that we are implementing. Intellgence Dashboard provides all related details ( Count etc.) This is just driven by IoT enabled camera and Mobile App for plug and play solution
28 March 2019 9:22am
I'd highly suggest going with a pre-built service like AWS Rekognition or Google Vision, as their models are already trained with more images that you could possible do yourself.
18 June 2021 11:53am
hi Louise, I don't know if you are still looking, but we've just become second (5 digits behind the comma ;-) at the iWildcam2021 Kaggle competition. We're currently building a full-circle solution to:
- identify objects, people and animals on images
- determine whether they form a time sequence (several images in a row showing the same animal that passes by)
- count the number of object/animals seen in that sequence
- place classifications that do not pass a user-defined threshhold in a queue
- provide an interface to manually classify these images
- and pass back the results to a client. This could be an API, or our any of the analytical tools in out WITS platform
If you are interested in a call, you can reach me at hello@sensingclues.org,
Best regards!
Jan Kees
Webinar: Can we redesign conservation funding?

17 June 2021 12:00am
21 March 2022 9:19pm
Hi Dexter,
In case you have not found your solution yet: I don't know of an off the shelf solution for what you need, but it seems to me that any more or less developed relational database software can do the core of what you are looking for.
You'll need to develop the database application to model (perhaps people from Hemmersbach can help with that) and store what data you want to capture about suspects, incidents, firearms and what have you.
Export to XL should be a no-brainer .
Entity-relationship visualization (I think you mean networks of suspects, firearms, etc.) is not easy for such softwares, but exporting the data and then importing to a network visualizer (GEPHI perhaps) should be possible.
For temporal and spatial data you would do something similar. Don't let the database software do it (unless it has a plugin or extension for it) but export to Geographical Information System software. I can not suggest any, but there must be plenty of that around, probably even open source/freeware.
If you insist on having it all integrated, then that is probably possible, but you'll have to pay a developer for it.
Hopefully this helps
Frank