MammalWeb citizen scientists

Researchers at our MammalWeb project want to better understand how animals are coping with ecological challenges such as climate change. 

MammalWeb collects camera trap images of the UK's mammals to build a picture of their habits and behaviours. 

The project's database has grown from its origins in North East England to gathering data from over 2,500 sites across the UK and beyond.  In the UK, contributors' camera traps have captured 440,000 classified image sequences and videos, of which more than 180,000 are mammal detections.  

In total, the project has recorded the equivalent of more than 340 camera trap years of wild mammal activity across the country.  

Now our researchers want to expand MammalWeb's database further to provide a more comprehensive record of UK mammal activity. 

Through a co-ordinated media campaign, they encouraged more citizen scientists and organisations to share their camera trap content via the project, to create a comprehensive central store for this information to be used by researchers across the UK and beyond.  

The aim is for this database to support future research and conservation while also helping to inform policy decisions that affect wildlife.  

Objectives:

• Encourage more citizen scientists and organisations to share their camera trap content via the MammalWeb project to build a comprehensive database of UK mammal activity.

• Engage with partners to encourage participation in MammalWeb across the wildlife and ecology community.

• Raise the overall profile of MammalWeb through media and communications activity.

Approach:

• Media release - regional, national science and environment correspondents, including specialist publications.

• Provide a comprehensive package of camera trap images and video to increase interaction with the media release and encourage others to share similar content with MammalWeb.

• Media release content shared with key MammalWeb partners such as the British Ecological Society and Durham Wildlife Trust to maximise reach.

• Durham University website and social media activity.

• Almost 424 pieces of media coverage (Vuelio analytics 12 to 31 October 2022).

• The story achived a media reach of 4.22bn and total online visits to media articles of 4.22bn during this period (these figures include the same person viewing multiple articles across different media titles).

• Coverage includes prominent UK national and regional media titles.

• The research story reached approximately 9,408 people via the Durham University social media channels.

• Participation in MammalWeb increased as follows (figures for the ten days before and after October 12 when our media release was issued):

Before
Registrations - 14
Mean spotters - 2.8/day
Total classifications - 831
Mean trappers - 1.8/day

After
Registrations - 75
Mean spotters - 7.0/day
Total classifications - 2,232
Mean trappers - 3.5/day

The story appeared on the Durham University website, achieving 46 views (including 41 unique views) - 12 October to 22 November 2022).

• 424 pieces of media coverage (12 October to 31 October - print/online/broadcast).

• Widespread UK and Ireland national and regional media including:

  • UK and Ireland national - BBC Online, BBC Newsround, The Independent, The Guardian, ITV, Metro, AOL, MSN, Yahoo!

  • UK and Ireland regional - Evening Standard (London), The Sunday Post, Belfast Telegraph, South Wales Guardian, Ireland Live.

  • Specialist - British Ecological Society, Countryside Jobs Service, Palatinate.

• Top countries reached (media - as of 31/10/22):

  • UK (96 per cent)

  • Others (four per cent)