Snapshot Safari Educational Materials

Abstract

Snapshot Safari (www.snapshotsafari.org) is a cross-continental network of biodiversity monitoring programs run by the University of Minnesota Lion Center (www.lioncenter.umn.edu/snapshot-safari). To address the urgent need for accurately assessing vulnerable wildlife populations, we deployed over two dozen camera trap surveys distributed in protected areas across Africa. We rely on the help of online volunteers ("citizen scientists") to help classify animals captured in our millions of camera trap images. The citizen science platform provides a novel opportunity for public engagement and science education, and we have created educational multimedia based on the Snapshot Safari citizen science experience to promote these learning opportunities. Here, we present activities and videos aimed at a middle school-level audience that use our camera trap images to teach ecological and conservation principles.