MammalWeb is a citizen science platform that aims to collate and verify camera trap data to improve understandings of the distribution, status and ecology of wild mammals. The platform, set up through a collaboration between Durham University and Durham Wildlife Trust, focuses on the
UK
and Europe. It is hoped the data gathered will contribute to effective science,
policy
and management.
MammalWeb concurrently seeks to engage with a broad community of citizen scientists (from diverse publics, to school children, to researchers), inviting them to classify species and deploy cameras. The platform looks to improve people's connection to nature, offering health and wellbeing benefits.
Everyone is welcomed to engage with the platform. There are three main strands through which citizens and researchers can become involved. Firstly, individuals can create an account to start identifying what is pictured in the uploaded images. Secondly, those who own or have access to a camera trap can upload data (including images, time stamps, and location information) to the MammalWeb site. Thirdly, organisations that work with networks of
camera traps
can reach out to MammalWeb to potentially establish joint projects. This would enable the organisation to upload their camera trap images to the platform and involve citizen scientists in classifying them.
MammalWeb demonstrates how
digital technologies
can be used to create digital access and extensive smart forest networks.