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Research
Help us learn more about the secret lives of urban mammals!
Mammals are found across the globe, but their habitats are rapidly transforming due to urbanization. This process includes increasing human population density, the expansion of human-made structures like buildings and roads, increasing levels of light and noise pollution, and less access to native plants and food sources. These changes present unique challenges and opportunities for wildlife.
At the Integrative Ecology Lab at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, USA, we are investigating how urban environments influence mammalian behavior. Using motion-activated cameras, we collect thousands of images of mammals in cities and nearby natural areas. We then use an AI called Wildlife Insights to filter most of the blank images and remove images with people's faces. Now, we need your help to analyze the remaining images to find out which species are present and how their behavior may change across different landscape types.
Right now, we are focusing on images captured from an Urban Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA. The cemetery has both traditional burial areas with headstones and turf grass, as well as green burial areas with native plants and no headstones. We are curious if there will be a difference in mammal presence, abundance and behavior between these two burial types.
Join us in identifying the species and behaviors captured in these photos and contribute to advancing our understanding of urban wildlife!
Research Goals
With your help, we will generate high-quality data to address the following research questions:
- How does mammalian behavior change in different environments?
- Are different mammal species present in different environments?
- Do native plant gardens impact mammalian behavior in urban environments?
- How does human activity in an area impact mammalian behavior?
