One of the more important projects I've gotten involved with is Snapshot Wisconsin. Created in 2016, Snapshot Wisconsin is a citizen science data project, in which volunteers in Wisconsin host trail cameras. These trail cameras record wildlife to monitor the populations around the state. The two main goals of the project are:
1. Provide data necessary for wildlife management decisions by monitoring wildlife more consistently across the state and throughout the year.
2. Increase public engagement with Wisconsin's natural resources and the DNR.
Some examples of specific things biologists look for are fawn-to-doe and calf-to-cow ratios and sightings of rare animals such as moose and whooping cranes. I applied to host a trail camera in Black River State Forest.
My camera was specifically placed to monitor elk, so it is placed close to Lake Wazee. The directions to my trail camera were both clear and unclear at the same time, I did have a good amount of trouble locating my camera the first time. While I did have geographic coordinates, they were a little off. The first time I went out, I brought my dog Lexi with me, and we ran around the woods for an hour trying to find the camera. Eventually, I called my mom to come help me search. We stayed until dusk trying to find it. At that point we were wondering if the camera had possibly been stolen, as the organization has had thefts happen before. I contacted the program; they responded quickly, and sent a local DNR employee to find it.
Apparently, the camera existed, and when I got confirmation I went out again. They had sent improved directions, and I finally found it. To check the camera, you must unlock the box, open the camera, and take out the memory chip. You also must replace the rechargeable batteries. When you sign up they send you a bright orange folder, which contains forms that you fill out. When I got home, I uploaded the photos onto the program. Unfortunately, you don't get to see the photos right away, they have to be processed first. However, mine came through in less than a day, and I got to examine all of the animals, hopefully elk, that passed by.
There were no elk on my camera. There were lots of deer, but what was super cool is that a doe and her fawn walked past the camera almost every day, and I got to see the growth of the fawn. I also saw a couple of foxes and coyotes, along with a big porcupine. It was enlightening to see how many other creatures are in the same place as you, albeit at different times.
However, you don't have to have the commitment of checking a trail camera if you want to contribute to the Snapshot program. Once photos are uploaded, they must be classified. Thousands of volunteers around the world help classify Wisconsin's wildlife. The way it works is that a photo will come up on the screen, and the volunteer uses buttons on the side to label what animal is in the photo. Not only is it a way to help collect data for Wisconsin's native species, it's also super fun and interesting to see what animals show up! I would definitely recommend checking Snapshot Wisconsin out to see what you can learn about wildlife around you.
To host a trail camera: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Research/ApplyHostTrailCamera
To classify photos: https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/zooniverse/snapshot-wisconsin
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