Camera Trap Data Analysis Voluntary Intern

The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), a charity founded in 1826, is a world-renowned centre of excellence for conservation science and applied conservation. ZSL’s mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. This is realised by carrying out field conservation and research in over 50 countries across the globe and through education and awareness-raising at our two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, inspiring people to take conservation action.

Camera trap technology is a powerful non-invasive tool to collect data on wildlife populations worldwide. It is particularly useful to monitor elusive, nocturnal and wide-ranging mammal species that are otherwise hard to detect. At ZSL, scientists are extensively using camera traps for the conservation of threatened mammals. Camera trap arrays are being used to study the rare tigers and leopards of the Russian Far East and gain insight into some of the hunting threats affecting them. Profiles of poorly known rare forest faunas along the Kenya coast have been made and will be compared with results in future repetitions. Camera trap arrays have also been used to study the incredibly rare Saharan cheetahs, and dama gazelles, as well as Nubian ibex and small poorly known species such as Blanford’s fox in Arabia.

However, the rapidly increasing numbers of deployed camera traps producing thousands of images in a short time, is creating a backlog of images to be analysed and used for conservation. ZSL has developed a camera trap data management and analysis tool and associated protocols to overcome the existing limitations. In order to maintain momentum on the excellent progress being made at ZSL with the tool, support is needed to address data processing workload and maximise use and impact of the camera trap analysis tool.

This volunteering opportunity involves supporting the development of the ZSL camera trap tool, helping with setting up the tool lookup tables, preparing the user manual, preparing and importing camera trap data and supporting data across ZSL field programmes.    

Main duties and responsibilities

1. Support the ZSL biologists and field staff and help prepare camera trap data for importing into the tool and with subsequent data analysis and report generation.

2. Help in the development of camera trap tool, specifically with preparation of the user manual. Updating existing camera trap training material, populating region specific tool lookup tables (species, Red List status, habitats etc.).

3. Provide admin support to tool development (e.g. maintaining list of changes to software etc.).

4. Help with preparation of at least one manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

5. Any other activities agreed with line managers.

This voluntary position is available for, ideally up to six months. We are looking for a volunteer who can ideally support us for four days a week.

Travel expenses will be reimbursed against receipts, to a maximum of the cost of travel to and from Zone 6 in London. Lunch expenses will be paid, up to £5 a day against receipts.

Please send applications to: Dr Tim Wacher (Tim.Wacher@zsl.org) and Rajan Amin (raj.amin@ioz.ac.uk). Closing date for applications is Monday 6 October 2014.