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!
Leveraging big data to solve hard, open ended and socially impactful problems| Ex - Palantir
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 14 Groups
- @eliseb227
- | she/her
Duke University
Master of Environmental Management student at Duke University studying how technology can facilitate conservation efforts in a multitude of ecosystems.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 7 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 1 Groups
- @davidhunter
- | he/him
University of Colorado Boulder
PhD student exploring design and technology to connect people with nature and the environment
- 0 Resources
- 14 Discussions
- 5 Groups
- @shahselbe
- | he/him
Conservify
Conservation Technologist, National Geographic Explorer, and Founder of Conservify and FieldKit
- 0 Resources
- 5 Discussions
- 18 Groups
- @Helga_Kuechly
- | she/her
World Wide Fund for Nature/ World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
I am a Geo-ecologist, who loves to use GIS, remote sensing, citizen science and knowledge transfer to shape for a better future for nature - We are part of nature, so let's act like it!
- 1 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 4 Groups
- @Ngunu_24
- | He\him
I'm a marine biologist working at Local Ocean Conservation as a marine research and data manager. I love exploring the wonders of the underwater world and learning about the amazing creatures that live there. I'm passionate about protecting our oceans and raising awareness.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 11 Groups
- @andrzej
- | He/him
Appsilon
Data4Good Lead at Appsilon.com
- 3 Resources
- 2 Discussions
- 1 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 7 Groups
Mobile developer w/ a passion for nature and conservation
- 0 Resources
- 10 Discussions
- 6 Groups
- @MARYLOVE
- | Mary123
I am Marylove,holder of bachelor degree in wildlife Management and conservation. I am interested in wildlife based research and conservation activities. *Also I am interested in entomology learning, I can do I identification and mounting of ant species.*wildlife article writer
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 9 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 11 Groups
We're delighted to announce that Connected Conservation Foundation and Airbus Foundation have today launched round 2 of the ‘Satellites for Biodiversity Award’.
2 October 2023
Careers
Could you be our next team member to help empower conservation through data and technology?
28 September 2023
Careers
Island Conservation's Innovation Team is dedicated to developing innovative, data-driven tools to increase the scale, scope, and pace of island restorations around the world. As the Conservation Innovation Manager, you...
27 September 2023
Varaha is seeking a Geospatial Data Scientist to help design, build, and deliver a compelling spatial data science platform and develop industry leading AI models for satellite imagery.
25 September 2023
The partnership will support the Global South with the development, planning and management of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas.
22 September 2023
The new white paper from Rainforest Connection (RFCx) explores the power of ecoacoustics and AI to monitor biodiversity and track progress towards GBF targets using case studies from around the world.
20 September 2023
The program’s third cohort will provide $300,000 to artificial intelligence projects making a positive impact in ecosystems and human communities.
15 September 2023
Article
Five #tech4wildlife people, projects and updates that caught our attention this month. An AI supported bear early warning system, a project that's connecting indigenous communities with high speed internet, exploring...
12 September 2023
Can you create an ecological data collection application on Android for Gibbon and Biodiversity Research. Check out this opportunity with us!
24 August 2023
Please join us in celebrating this year’s top #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge Honorees as chosen by our panel of leading conservation organization judges, and enjoy the story contained within these entries about how our...
4 August 2023
Join us as we count down the WILDLABS community's honorees in the first-ever #Tech4Wildlife Community Choice Awards!
3 August 2023
In this interview with Edge Impulse’s Daniel Situnayake, we discuss how we can achieve that balance for machine learning tools, and how to maximize technology’s potential for good.
2 August 2023
September 2024
event
October 2024
December 2018
event
November 2018
event
47 Products
Recently updated products
13 Products
Recently updated products
Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hey Steffen, I know you've had a student working on this challenge for the past year - how is this project progressing? If you (or your student) have a moment,... |
|
AI for Conservation | 6 years 6 months ago | |
Hi Kate, It's really exciting to hear that you've now launched the challenge, congratulations on getting to this point! It's going to be interesting to... |
|
AI for Conservation | 6 years 7 months ago | |
If you're interested, you can check out the live recordings from past events (links below take you to the videos): August: The Blockchain The Blockchain's potential... |
|
AI for Conservation | 6 years 8 months ago | |
Hypraptive and Brown Bear Research Network collaboration to develop a deep learning, brown bear face identification system: BearID Project. [Disclosure: I am a member of... |
|
AI for Conservation | 6 years 8 months ago | |
It looks like they haven't updated for a couple of years do you know if it is still active or are they changing to a different system like tensor flow? |
|
AI for Conservation | 6 years 8 months ago | |
Here' s a press release we put out today talking about how we're using a deep convolutional neural network to find and curate whale... |
|
AI for Conservation | 7 years ago | |
For those interested: in the acoustics channel I have posted news on our sound event recognition sensor, using conv-net: https://... |
|
AI for Conservation | 7 years ago | |
Ah! Thanks for posting this Tom. It's such a well designed, simple to understand video series, and the backing track is utterly delightful. Given the... |
|
AI for Conservation | 7 years 1 month ago | |
Hello all, I'm looking at using a combination of machine learning and satellite imagery to identify and count individual animals,... |
|
AI for Conservation | 7 years 7 months ago | |
We are working on the identification of the threats along the flyway of the Egyptian vulture, endangered vutlure species migrating from... |
|
AI for Conservation | 7 years 11 months ago | |
Hi Jason, Thanks for sharing this demo, it's interesting to see the fluke id process in action. Is this part of the flukebook project? How do you see the project... |
|
AI for Conservation | 7 years 11 months ago | |
Hi folks! The team at Skytruth (responsible for Global Ocean Watch) are looking for a machine learning developer. It might be of... |
|
AI for Conservation | 8 years 3 months ago |