With new technologies revolutionizing data collection, wildlife researchers are becoming increasingly able to collect data at much higher volumes than ever before. Now we are facing the challenges of putting this information to use, bringing the science of big data into the conservation arena. With the help of machine learning tools, this area holds immense potential for conservation practices. The applications range from online trafficking alerts to species-specific early warning systems to efficient movement and biodiversity monitoring and beyond.
However, the process of building effective machine learning tools depends upon large amounts of standardized training data, and conservationists currently lack an established system for standardization. How to best develop such a system and incentivize data sharing are questions at the forefront of this work. There are currently multiple AI-based conservation initiatives, including Wildlife Insights and WildBook, that are pioneering applications on this front.
This group is the perfect place to ask all your AI-related questions, no matter your skill level or previous familiarity! You'll find resources, meet other members with similar questions and experts who can answer them, and engage in exciting collaborative opportunities together.
Just getting started with AI in conservation? Check out our introduction tutorial, How Do I Train My First Machine Learning Model? with Daniel Situnayake, and our Virtual Meetup on Big Data. If you're coming from the more technical side of AI/ML, Sara Beery runs an AI for Conservation slack channel that might be of interest. Message her for an invite.
Header Image: Dr Claire Burke / @CBurkeSci
Explore the Basics: AI
Understanding the possibilities for incorporating new technology into your work can feel overwhelming. With so many tools available, so many resources to keep up with, and so many innovative projects happening around the world and in our community, it's easy to lose sight of how and why these new technologies matter, and how they can be practically applied to your projects.
Machine learning has huge potential in conservation tech, and its applications are growing every day! But the tradeoff of that potential is a big learning curve - or so it seems to those starting out with this powerful tool!
To help you explore the potential of AI (and prepare for some of our upcoming AI-themed events!), we've compiled simple, key resources, conversations, and videos to highlight the possibilities:
Three Resources for Beginners:
- Everything I know about Machine Learning and Camera Traps, Dan Morris | Resource library, camera traps, machine learning
- Using Computer Vision to Protect Endangered Species, Kasim Rafiq | Machine learning, data analysis, big cats
- Resource: WildID | WildID
Three Forum Threads for Beginners:
- I made an open-source tool to help you sort camera trap images | Petar Gyurov, Camera Traps
- Batch / Automated Cloud Processing | Chris Nicolas, Acoustic Monitoring
- Looking for help with camera trapping for Jaguars: Software for species ID and database building | Carmina Gutierrez, AI for Conservation
Three Tutorials for Beginners:
- How do I get started using machine learning for my camera traps? | Sara Beery, Tech Tutors
- How do I train my first machine learning model? | Daniel Situnayake, Tech Tutors
- Big Data in Conservation | Dave Thau, Dan Morris, Sarah Davidson, Virtual Meetups
Want to know more about AI, or have your specific machine learning questions answered by experts in the WILDLABS community? Make sure you join the conversation in our AI for Conservation group!
Remote Sensing Scientist
- 0 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 3 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 12 Groups
Hello, I am working as Enterprise Solution Architect with Department of Conservation, New Zealand Government. I am keen to learn the progresses and advancements made in the conservation space. This will provide us the starting point to collaborate and implement the technology.Tkx
- 0 Resources
- 5 Discussions
- 12 Groups
A systems and policy specialist, currently working as the Quality & Accreditation Manager for Ceres Tag.
- 0 Resources
- 4 Discussions
- 14 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 9 Groups
With a background in cross cultural approaches to conservation, Jennifer currently leads a suite of capacity development programs aimed at creating innovative, inclusive and impact driven solutions to global conservation issues.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 5 Groups
Eckerd College
I am a computer scientist using sensors, data science, and machine learning to study wildlife.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 1 Groups
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Deputy Technology Manager
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 7 Groups
BearID Project
Conservation biologist using camera traps to develop automated methods of photoID
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 6 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 4 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 12 Groups
data scientist/algorithmic dev - caught fire for movement ecology
- 0 Resources
- 2 Discussions
- 7 Groups
Rainforest Connection has multiple engineering positions that will suppor their work developing acoustic monitoring devices.
16 June 2022
Evolutionary Ecology group at Naturalis Biodiversity Center (the Netherlands)
11 June 2022
Article
A new web portal for annotating bird sounds has been opened called Bird Sounds Global (BSG). It is part of project LIFEPLAN, and its key objective is to develop global, automated software for bird sound identification.
10 June 2022
2
2
In David Rolnick's group at Mila Quebec AI Institute & McGill University
4 June 2022
IO is hiring for a Software Engineer, Machine Learning Scientist, and Head of Machine Learning & Science
4 June 2022
Careers
Are you passionate about making a meaningful impact on our community? Seattle-based Vulcan is looking to hire a science leader to support its work advising the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
4 June 2022
Microchip has just announced the 1 GHz SAMA7G54 single-core Arm Cortex-A7 microprocessor (MPU) with MIPI CSI-2 and parallel camera interfaces, as well as up to four I2S, one SPDIF transmitter and receiver, and a 4-...
3 June 2022
Global Forest Watch's Small Grants Fund is now open for applications for the 2023 grant cycle. Deadline is August 1.
1 June 2022
The African Robotics Unit is looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join A/Prof. Amir Patel’s lab at UCT. The Postdoc will investigate how sensor fusion can be leveraged to understand the locomotion of...
1 June 2022
Looking for biodiversity data? New review paper has an overview of biodiversity information portals, both global and country-specific
9 May 2022
July 2022
2
August 2022
Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hi everyone, I'm new here! I'm a UX designer and researcher, and an animal lover. Excited to be part of Conservation Tech here at WildLabs! Feel free to reach out to me for... |
|
AI for Conservation, Community Base, Human-Wildlife Conflict, Software and Mobile Apps, Wildlife Crime | 5 hours 26 minutes ago | |
Great news Dan! We will be giving the model a go on some of our new eradication projects soon |
|
AI for Conservation, Camera Traps | 2 days 11 hours ago | |
@gracieermi & I are happy to announce the latest update to the Conservation Tech Directory, bringing our total... |
|
Acoustic Monitoring, AI for Conservation, Biologging, Camera Traps, Community Base, Data management and processing tools , Drones, eDNA & Genomics, Remote Sensing & GIS, Software and Mobile Apps | 4 days 5 hours ago | |
Thank you so much Netty, I really enjoyed it.Good luck to you all with your work.Keep well! |
|
AI for Conservation, East Africa Community | 1 week 1 day ago | |
Hi Yvan, I dropped this into the AI for Conservation slack group as well, you got this reply this morning: Steph |
|
AI for Conservation, Camera Traps | 1 week 3 days ago | |
Thank you @carlybatist , @Freaklabs and @MK . The inputs are very useful and I am progressing on my project based on that. Appreciate a lot. |
|
Acoustic Monitoring, AI for Conservation | 1 week 4 days ago | |
Some folks doing work in this space - Wildlife Drones, Conservation Drones, UAV Wild, AfricanDrones, Oceans Unmanned, Geonadir. |
|
Drones, AI for Conservation, Citizen Science, eDNA & Genomics, Emerging Tech | 1 week 6 days ago | |
Dear Community,Together with Hackster.io, Seeed Studio is very happy to jointly organize “IoT Into... |
|
AI for Conservation, Connectivity, Emerging Tech, Open Source Solutions, Sensors | 2 weeks 3 days ago | |
Thanks Carly. No special areas of interest for now although that will happen over time. Thanks so much for your reply. I will check the Conservation Tech directory out. Soumya |
|
AI for Conservation | 2 weeks 6 days ago | |
Fascinating article, combining machine learning and acoustical signals to correlate coral reef health.... |
|
Acoustic Monitoring, AI for Conservation, Marine Conservation | 1 month ago | |
Sounds good, Peter! I'll keep an eye out for your reply. Thanks a lot & kudos to your great effort! - Divya |
|
AI for Conservation | 3 months ago | |
We've now wrapped our first run of AI for Conservation Office Hours and you can read my review of how it went and lessons learned here. Given the ... |
|
AI for Conservation | 6 months 2 weeks ago |
Hello there
1 July 2022 at 05:00pm
Intro webinar - The Biodiversity Digital Twin: a new solution to support protection & restoration of ecosystems
30 June 2022 at 01:22am
New Conservation Tech Directory update
27 June 2022 at 04:45pm
Live Q&A session on AI models for Processing Camera Trap Imagery:A highlight of WildID.
22 June 2022 at 01:42pm
Live Q&A on AI models to process Camera Trap Imagery: All about WildID
21 June 2022 at 06:49am
23 June 2022 at 11:43am
Thank you so much Kate for the excellent answers, explanations, insights and pointers; This was nothing short of Amazing!
Thank you all for joining us in this discussion; I hope this has been helpful and you now have a solution for processing your 1 million + camera trap imagery. If you have any questions for Kate, please feel free to drop them in this discussion thread- she is more than happy to answer. If you’d like to reach out to Kate directly, you can Direct message her here or send her an email at: [email protected]
Thank you!
23 June 2022 at 11:45am
Thank you so much Netty, I really enjoyed it.
Good luck to you all with your work.
Keep well!
MegaDetector v5 release
20 June 2022 at 09:06pm
29 June 2022 at 11:07am
Great news Dan! We will be giving the model a go on some of our new eradication projects soon
Silverstrand Capital Biodiversity Accelerator+
17 June 2022 at 11:03am
Multiple Roles with Rainforest Connection

16 June 2022 at 09:15am
23 June 2022 at 11:35am
Nothing too much more to share about WildID - I think you've had an earful already! But just to say that we really do enjoy working with our users, so don't be shy to get in touch for any questions, or think you would be bothering us if you need support. We're excited to bring more projects on board and extend our training sets to new locations, camera types and species.
For those in regions outside Africa, we are considering releasing a version of WildID that uses MegaDetector from Microsoft AI - so it will classify your images into empties, and then human, vehicle and animal (just those three classes). You would then be able to define your own species list, and edit the animal pictures to the correct species. Still a fair amount of work for you to edit, but you are probably doing the work already, and at least you would have an easy interface in which to do it, and particularly empties excluded already for you. Get in touch with us if this would be of use to you.