2020 ESA Annual Meeting (August 3 - 6)

WK 17 - New Tools for Analyzing and Sharing Wildlife Camera Images: Machine Learning and Online Databases to Minimize Time and Maximize Impact

Speakers:
Zhongqi Miao and Laura Marx
Organizer:
Laura Marx
This workshop will introduce the evolving field of using machine learning to analyze and share wildlife camera images. Wildlife cameras are an inexpensive and effective tool to understand what animals are in an area, where they move and use habitat, impacts of roads and development, and more. Camera images can be especially useful for public engagement. However, the time and skill required to sort through and identify images that are collected limits their use, especially when there is a large amount of "bycatch" or false triggers in a set of images. Images are rarely shared with other ecologists, lessening the impact of camera studies. Presenters will provide an introduction to the state of the science, and then demonstrate machine learning tools, many of them web-based and free to use, that can automate wildlife camera image processing. Online databases designed to make it easier for researchers to share and search wildlife camera images will also be introduced and previewed. Wildlife Observer Network, Wildlife Insights, and FoxBound tools, among others, will be covered. Participants will leave this workshop with everything they need to use these tools with their own image datasets.

Registration Fee: $0

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