Frequently Asked Questions

The following information of FAQ's was adopted from Snapshot Serengeti

1. Why isn’t there an “I don’t know” or “unidentifiable” button?

Even though it may seem counter-intuitive at first, a guess can convey a lot of information, especially when analyzed in conjunction with the guesses made by others who are presented with the same image to classify. Each photo on Snapshot Safari is shown to multiple people. If those people don’t agree, the photo is shown to even more people. Showing the photo to enough people usually gives us enough information to come to a right answer. Even if many people guess different species, we may still get information about the size of the animal. For example, consider an image that contained one blurry, vague animal. People identify that image as a dik-dik, hare, rodent, jackal, bat-eared fox, and mongoose. Even though the classifications are all over the place, all of the classifications are of small animals. Therefore, we can conclude that the animal is likely small. When we don’t have an ‘I don’t know’ button, people give us some information about the image, and that information allows us to figure out each image faster – even the difficult ones.

2. What do I do if I cannot identify the animal from the photo?

We realize that some images are too vague or blurry to identify. However, try your best to identify the animal! By narrowing down the options and making a guess, you are still providing us with some information about the animal. As mentioned above, each photo on Snapshot Safari is shown to multiple people. If those people give a different response, we show the photo to even more people. If there’s still not a clear indication of what animal it is, we record it as having a low confidence score and flag it for a scientist to review.

3. Why do so many photos contain no animals?

The cameras that we use are triggered by Passive Infrared (PIR) Sensors. PIR sensors work by detecting differences in surface temperatures between objects. When the sensors detect a rapid change in the surface temperatures in the detection zone, the camera is triggered. So, when grass or tree branches blow in front of a camera, they result in sequences of “empty” photos. While all of the “empty” images can be frustrating when you want to see animals, we appreciate your effort in classifying the photos as “Nothing here”. This allows us to filter out “empty” images and focus on the animals of interest.

4. What do I do if there are animals of different species present in the photo?

First, identify one of the animals. After you have clicked the “Identify” button, you will be taken back to the classification screen. There, you can identify the other animal. If the two animals belong to different species but are listed under a broad category such as “Mongoose” or “Bird”, you only need to identify the animals once. When you are finished identifying all of the animals in the photo, click the green “Done” button at the bottom.

5. What if I see an animal that is not on your list?

If you think you see an animal that is not on the list, you should first double check the list. Sometimes, the animal may fall into a broad category, such as “Bird” or “Rodent”. After you have double checked the list, select the best or closest identification that you can. When you have finished identifying the photo, click the “Talk” button and tag the photo with the hashtag #new-animal and the species that you think it is. We regularly check the “Talk” section of the website and we will record the correct species when we see this hashtag.

6. What if I’m not sure how many animals are in a photo?

Record the number of individuals of each type of animal as best you can. Your best guesses contribute to a collection of responses that lead us to the right answer. Since every photo is seen by multiple volunteers, any mistakes will get outweighed by a larger number of correct answers.

7. If I make a mistake, can I return to the photo to correct it?

No, you cannot return to a photo to correct a mistake, but do not worry about it! Your best guesses contribute to a collection of responses that lead us to the right answer. Since every photo is seen by multiple volunteers, any mistakes or misidentifications will eventually be outweighed by a larger number of correct answers.

8. Can I see how many pictures I have classified?

Yes, you can!
i. Use your Botswana Wildlife Watch log-in information to sign-in to Zooniverse.
ii. Click on your username in the upper right-hand corner and select my profile.
iii. Select the tab “Your Stats”. This will show you all of the classifications that you have done for Snapshot Safari and any other Zooniverse projects that you have participated in.

9. What if I see something in a photo that I want to tell the scientists about?

If you see an animal with a radio collar, an animal with injuries, or an animal that is displaying interesting behaviors, you can share those photos with the scientists on the discussion boards. To do so, click on the “Discuss” button and add a comment to the photo.

10. What will this information be used for?

Visit our mashaturesearch.com page to learn more about the goals of the Botswana Wildlife Watch project.

11. Can I share photos from Botswana Wildlife Watch?

Yes, but please ascribe credit for the photos you are sharing to “Mashatu Research”. You should also mention the Creative Commons license, so that the people you share with know how they can share it, too.

12. How can I ask a question that’s not in this FAQ?

Start by clicking “Discuss” at the top of the page. Here you can find questions asked by other citizen scientists. If you don’ t find the answer you are looking for, click on the relevant forum under “Help”. At the bottom of the page, you can create a new discussion. Our scientists check the forums regularly and answer as many questions as we can. Experienced Zooniverse volunteers also participate in these discussions and offer great advice.