FAQ
The Project
We have 130 cameras set approximately 30 cm above the ground in several conservation estates across the south coast of Western Australia. Once triggered by movement the cameras take 3 images in a row. This gives us the best opportunity to see the animal. You can see all the images by either clicking on each round button at the bottom of the image or press the play button to get a flicker book.
Getting to know Western Australian fauna
Can you see an animal but have no idea what it is? Go to the buttons above the name choices and see if you can narrow the possibilities down based on the type of animal it is. Many of our native fauna are mainly nocturnal so you may often only get night images, colour can be obscured during night shots, but coat pattern and body shape can often still be discernible. You can also scroll the field guide on the right hand side of the main screen to distinguish who might be captured in the picture you're looking at. We know that sometimes it is not easy to see what an animal is particularly if it moves quickly or you can only see part of an animal. But do your best and make your best judgement on what you think it might be.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why isn't there an "I don't know" or "Unidentifiable" option?
2. What do I do if I cannot identify the animal in the photo?
3. Why are there photos with no animals?
4. What do I do if there are animals of different species present in the photo?
5. What if I see an animal that is not on your list?
6. What if I’m not sure how many animals are in a photo?
7. Does an animal have to be in all the images to be counted?
8. What are the characteristics of animals that should be counted as ‘young’?
9. If I make a mistake, can I return to the photo to correct it?
10. Can I see how many pictures I have classified?
11. How can I discuss a photo with others?
12. How can I ask a question that’s not in this FAQ?
13. Can I share photos from South Coast Fauna Recovery Project?
1. Why isn't there an "I don't know" or "Unidentifiable" option?
We don't have an "I don't know" or "Unidentifiable" option, because a guess can convey a lot of information, especially when analysed in combination with the guesses made by others who classified the same image. Showing the photo to enough people usually gives us enough information to come to a right answer.
If you are unsure of the identification as it's only ears, a bit of tail, a blur or tuff of fur? Have a look at the Field Guide under these categories and see if you can match the shape of the features you see.
If you still can't work it out you can use our broader categories of bird, small mammal, or reptile.
2. What do I do if I cannot identify the animal in the photo?
We understand that everyone is not an expert in every species that we detect on the cameras in our South Coast Reserves; even the bird nerds in within our team still argue about identifications. If you don't know what it is to best have a look in the field guide under a the most relevant category and put in your best guess.
3. Why are there photos with no animals?
Before eliminating the photo as having nothing in it, firstly check through every photo carefully to make sure there isn't the nose of a small mammal in the corner. As we have tried our best to eliminate all the false triggers from the data set before it is uploaded into the Zooniverse platform but some may fall through the cracks. The cameras we use are heat and motion trigger, thus sometimes when the ground heats up and the trees start moving the camera is triggered and we get a false trigger. If you can't see anything, mark it as "Nothing".
4. What do I do if there are animals of different species present in the photo?
Zooniverse lets you tag multiple species in the same image, and all species in view need to be marked before clicking 'Done'. You can identify each species one by one, and after you have clicked the “Identify” button, you will be taken back to the classification screen to can identify the other species. If the two species you see belong to the same broad category, you only need to identify the animals once. When you are finished identifying all of the species in the photo, click the “Done” button at the bottom. Be sure to check that those species names are visible in blue banners below the image before moving on.
5. What if I see an animal that is not on your list?
We have compiled a comprehensive list of animals that we have caught on camera in the past, but there is always a chance of detecting something for the first time. If it's not on our list classify it as "Bird", "Small mammal", "Mammal" or "Reptile" then click the "Talk" button and tag the photo with the hashtag #new-animal and the species that you think it is. Then we will add it to our list for future identifications.
6. What if I’m not sure how many animals are in a photo?
A big reminder for this questions is that young or pouch young is only counted when you can see part or all of their body. If you see a leg sticking out of a pouch, that counts as a separate individual. Record the maximum number of individuals you see in the entire set of 3 to 5 photos as best you can. Best guesses contribute to a collection of responses that lead us to the right answer.
7. Does an animal have to be in all the images to be counted?
No. Sometimes you may only ever see part of an individual in one photo of the series. The aim is to identify the maximum number and all the species present in the series of 3 to 5 photos.
8. What are the characteristics of animals that should be counted as ‘young’?
The main indicator for "young" is size. Size when compared to the adult individuals in the photo. The second indicator is whether it is using the pouch of the adult individual.
9. 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.
10. Can I see how many pictures I have classified?
Yes, you can.
i. Log in to your Zooniverse account.
ii. Click on your user name in the upper right hand corner and select Profile.
iii. Select the tab “Your Stats”. This will show you all of the classifications that you have done for this project and any other Zooniverse projects that you have helped.
11. How can I discuss a photo with others?
When you have finished classifying the image istead of clicking the "Done" button click the "Done and Talk" button. You can then start a discussion about this individual set of photos through the "Add a note about this subject button" or click the "Start a new discussion" to add it to one of our collections of talk boards already created for this project.
Our talk boards include:
- Selfies
- Glitches and other issues
- Best Photo Debate?
- Questions for the Research Team
- Help!
12. How can I ask a question that’s not in this FAQ?
Start by clicking “Talk” 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 moderators check the forums regularly and answer as many questions as we can. Experienced Zooniverse volunteers also participate in these discussions and offer great advice.
13. Can I share photos from the South Coast Fauna Recovery Project?
Yes, but please ascribe credit for the photos you are sharing to “DBCA - South Coast Fauna Recovery Project” and reference our Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit Creative Commons.