Field NotesWhat we're learning about AI and the environment

A learning from Felidae Conservation Fund: volunteers and AI sorting camera-trap photos of pumas, Felidae Conservation Fund

Workaround

Letting AI throw out empty frames first let volunteers focus on the photos that matter

⚠ Not yet claimed by the project owner or their organization. This information may not be completely accurate.

From public sources: Felidae writes that wind, shadows and moving plants set off its cameras, producing thousands of empty photos in a single batch. Running MegaDetector first removes those, and SpeciesNet then suggests species. Felidae reports that volunteers have annotated over two million images since 2021 this way. It does not publish accuracy or time-saved figures.

Track
AI for the environment
Environmental problem
Biodiversity and species
Environmental goal
Understand and monitorProtect species and habitats
Setting
Forest
AI's role
One tool among many
What the AI does
Recognizing images
ML technique
Computer visionClassification
Scale
OrganizationRegional or government

Shared 28 Oct 2026 by Field Notes curator (public sources).

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