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Yes! We have created the workflow so that the ID process is easy enough for anyone from ages 10+ to navigate. We encourage teachers to use this in their classrooms and get their students interested in wildlife. Check out the "Education" tab for more information about incorporating the project into your classroom.
You can use different landmarks in each picture to gauge scale such as trees, flowers, leaf litter, etc. Cameras are placed 3.5ft from the ground and tied to a tree, which can also be helpful information in those tough-to-ID photos.
There are many abiotic factors that can trigger the motion sensor on the cameras. Shadows, wind, rain, and snow are things that can trigger the camera even if no animal is present. If an animal is moving at a fast-pace, it is possible the animal moved out of frame before the picture could be taken. Oftentimes, there's a mouse or chipmunk in the picture but can be hard to see. Make sure you take a closer look, even if you think nothing is present!
Snapshot Serengeti has a great explanation of this. Even if a picture seems impossible to identify, something had to have triggered the camera. Marking a photo as "unknown" does not give us enough clues to narrow down the final answer. By having users take their best guess, the research team can see the top most popular ID tags and narrow it down from there. Even if you're not quite sure about identification, don't worry! Many people will look at each photo before it retires. Even if there is no general consensus, even more people will be able to look at it to figure it out.
First, pick one species in the photo and answer all the questions asked. Then, click "identify." Choose the next species from the list and answer the questions like before. Once you are done identifying everything in the photo, click the "done" button.
Yes! When you're done identifying a photo, click the "Done and Talk" button. This feature allows you to add a hashtag to the photo so others can see it under the "popular tags" section. The #wow tag can be used for super cool photos. You can also hit the heart icon at the bottom of the photo to add it to your personal favorites!
Yes! Check out the "Talk" tab and pick the appropriate discussion board for your question. Please keep any content professional and project-related. Inappropriate posts will be taken down.