Want to be part of conservation wildlife biologists’ efforts to monitor the recovery of animal populations at Gorongosa National Park?
Teams of conservation biologists have set up a network of over 50 motion activated cameras all over the park. These cameras take dozens of pictures a day, and have been active for a few years. Here’s where you step in.
Instead of spending thousands of hours categorizing the animals found in each photo, the biologists are outsourcing it to citizens all over the world. Anyone (including you!) can logon to https://www.wildcamgorongosa.org/ and start categorizing the animals you see in each photo.
The website will teach you how to identify species from the massive list of native animals. If you find a particularly awesome (or confusing) photo, you can even open up a chat with other volunteers.
I’m keeping track of the animals I’ve seen. My goal is to identify one of each animal on the species list! So far I’ve seen:
- Bushbuck
- Oribi
- Baboon
- Warthog
- Eland
- Civet
- Unidentified reptile
- Humans! (They set off the camera when they check the area)
- Impala
- Nyala
- Totally empty pictures with no animals at all (Sometimes moving grass sets off the cameras too)
Have fun identifying animals!
Lassar Science 