The use of camera traps as a source of nature insights has seen exponential growth over the last two decades, unlocking vast amounts of valuable data. The challenge today is the time required to view, classify, and sort all of the footage collected, as well as the logistics of establishing and maintaining camera trap sampling arrays across wide geographic areas. AI is well-established as a way to help speed up camera trap image processing and species identification, but AI models are still error-prone and inaccurate, especially when confronted with less well-known species, strange angles or fuzzy pictures. Which means AI is not yet trustworthy enough to get the job done on its own. Pivotal’s solution combines the power of our own, specially trained machine learning models to improve data processing efficiency and scalability, with human validation and quality control through our global Ecology Expert network, ensuring our results are accurate.  

We recently sat down with two of our esteemed mammal experts, Meagan Bethel and Sian Green to hear more about their journeys.  

Meagan Bethel is a naturalist and a wildlife biologist for Sky Island Alliance in Tucson, Arizona. She is passionate about wildlife population changes and monitoring using non-invasive techniques. In addition to publishing numerous studies on the value of movement to the wildlife population, Meagan is also a prolific digital artist, specialising in drawing animals, plants, and fantasy subjects. Since joining our Expert Ecology network last year, her deep expertise in identifying mammals has been invaluable in surveys from Japan to the USA.

What made you want to study animals? What is your specialisation?

I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember. My parents took me to the zoo a lot growing up; so much so that I jokingly say I was born in a zoo! I was also active in science fairs, so I was exposed to animals and science early on. While I was still in grade school, I remember when a Sky Island Alliance representative visited my class to teach us about the ocelot. From then on, I started gravitating towards cats, especially big cats, as a specialisation. I’ve also always enjoyed bird watching – I would consider myself a ”backyard birder.”

What's the part you find most fulfilling?

I enjoy the variety, the originality, and the many challenges that come with working in wildlife biology. I’ve worked in a genetics lab conducting research as well as in the field observing and capturing animals on film. Above all though, identifying wildlife camera images is my favorite part of my job. It is time consuming, but a great way to see wildlife species and behavior that you would rarely see in person.

I also get a lot of satisfaction from sharing my knowledge and love of animals with others through education and community outreach. For nearly 6 years, as part of the Sky Island Alliance, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching community members – from students to retirees – how to deploy camera traps and smart phones to take pictures of animals in the wild, and how to use the pictures to identify species. We have over 100 cameras located across the Sky Island Mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and northern Mexico, and our goal is to protect and restore the diversity of life and lands in the region. Our cameras have picked up lots of birds and rabbits, along with coyotes, deer, bobcats, javelinas, and the occasional bear or mountain lion.  

What’s the hardest ID you’ve ever done that you are most proud of?

‍Skunks! There are four different species of skunks in the American southwest: the Hooded Skunk (Mephitis macroura), the North American Hog-Nosed Skunk (Conepatus leuconotus), the Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and the Western Spotted Skunk (Spilogale gracilis). They are differentiated based on the length of their tail and the pattern on their body, both of which can sometimes be difficult to decipher on camera. However, with time, I have improved my ability to recognise patterns and enjoy the challenge!

How has the field of wildlife biology evolved over the years?  What is the biggest current challenge?

The impact of climate change on wildlife has unfortunately been devastating. From desertification to habitat alteration due to the increasing heat levels, animals have been disrupted in many ways. Their migration patterns are impacted, especially by recent increases in borders, and new roads cutting off access to their preferred habitats.  

At the same time, the noninvasive technology and devices we can use to track and collect data on the changes have improved by leaps and bounds. Years ago, we had to use giant DC batteries and then plug the cameras into a computer to see the pictures taken in the field. Now, it’s so much cheaper, faster and easier to use cameras to capture and process data – it's vastly improved our ability to monitor wildlife regularly and consistently.  

Using the data to improve machine learning has evolved quite a bit as well – more data has made it possible to establish improved detection and sorting capabilities. For example, the ability to easily sift through and sort out blank photos is truly a lifesaver. However, there’s still a lot to evolve in machine learning and the most important thing we can do now is to continue to generate authentic, high-quality camera images to help improve our global data sets.

“I like how accessible Pivotal’s annotation platform is – onboarding was quick and easy, and the ability to do the work remotely is critical in distributing opportunity and reaching talent around the world.”

What do you enjoy about working with Pivotal?  

I love the opportunity to test and hone my skills regularly through species identification work on surveys around the world. I have now worked on surveys in the USA as well as Japan, which was a fun challenge – I taught myself about Japanese species through studying species lists the Pivotal team shared with me, research into the region, and reviewing catalogues available online on websites like iNaturalist. It certainly takes time and practice, but I felt excited when I was able to pass Pivotal’s trial exercise and got to work on identifying species in a Japanese forest!

What’s next for you? How do you connect your digital art to nature?

I would love to continue wildlife education, through platforms like Pivotal, as well as conservation efforts with Sky Island Alliance to hopefully inspire and educate generations to come! And of course, I will continue making digital art in my free time. Animals are full of patterns, and often where I draw my inspiration – from their shapes to colours, stripes and dots – animals are a form of art themselves, and I love being able to express myself in a visual medium. My work can be found on Art Station or on my Instagram handle, @doodlebethel.

Sian Green is a research fellow in biodiversity and society, with a PhD in Anthropology, a Master's in Wildlife Conservation (Biological Sciences) and a bachelor's degree in Zoology (Biological Sciences). A self-professed “animal person,” she is passionate about the engagement of citizen scientists in using camera traps to study mammals. After extensive field work in Madagascar, Kenya and Romania she’s returned to her home in the UK to focus on the use of camera traps and citizen science to improve monitoring of mammal populations.  She's a trusted member of our Expert Ecology network, and her expertise has been invaluable to Pivotal and our customers.

What made you want to study animals? What is your specialisation?  

‍I was an “animal person” from a very young age – I gravitated towards animal toys and had the benefit of spending vast amounts of time in nature as we were living in the Devon countryside at the time. Later in school, a friend recommended a course in Zoology, and after going on my first field trip in Madagascar, I was hooked! I went on to work with leopards in South Africa, to study the wildlife corridor in Kenya, and finally to study bears in Romania. My time in Romania, in particular, was eye opening – and inspired me to seek out biodiversity closer to home in Europe and be part of a conservation movement in the UK as well.

What’s the part that you find most fulfilling?

I love teaching others about wildlife and igniting their passion for animals. Sometimes, people don't feel a connection with animals because they don’t see them in their daily life but showing pictures and especially videos help build more of a connection. Starting it early is important - children especially get such a thrill, and you can see how it lights their spirits and broadens their horizons. I actively share pictures taken from camera traps on social media and on citizen science websites like MammalWeb, and am inspired to increase mammal data in the UK, as well as general awareness and interest in animals.  

I also get so much fulfilment from actively engaging in nature conservation. My parents have a little farm they manage. I taught them how to deploy, use and process images from camera traps on their farm – and they love it now! They track animals like polecats and foxes, and we all spent much of Covid lockdown observing animals on the farm. Watching the animals was particularly therapeutic and healing during such a challenging time.  

What do you enjoy about working with Pivotal?  

When I first heard about the opportunity from Daniella Rabaiotti, Pivotal’s Scientific Community Lead, I knew it was a great match for what I was looking for - the chance to do what I love, flexibly, remotely and even get fairly compensated for it! I recently took part in a survey identifying mammals in Scotland and feel proud to be part of building the largest database of accurate biodiversity data, verified by biologists. I also love newsletters Pivotal sends to experts – I truly do feel part of a community and enjoy learning about how Pivotal is growing and taking on more surveys around the world. I highly recommend Pivotal to other ecologists, biologists & researchers.  

“Technology has been the biggest disruptor in the field of ecology over the years – technology has made the field and the collection of data much more accessible, approachable and affordable.”

How has the field of ecology evolved over the years?  What is the biggest current challenge?

Technology has been the biggest disruptor in the field of ecology over the years – technology has made the field and the collection of data much more accessible, approachable and affordable. Ecologists now need to have significantly more knowledge of, and ability to use, technology than in the past. As an example, camera traps themselves have improved as devices, but the real advances are in processing the images. Ecologists now need to know what questions to ask, what data to collect, how to collect it, and then how to process the data quickly and accurately, all enabled by technology. And to truly move the needle, we need to collaborate more with each other, with the private sector and with conservationists. This all requires effective communication – we no longer have the luxury to work in a siloed way, and the future will require all of us to work collaboratively.

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We are actively recruiting - if you’re interested in joining Pivotal’s network of world-class ecological experts, please contact us on annotator-support@pivotal.earth.

To discuss how we can help you secure real, auditable evidence of on-the-ground changes in nature, so you can make informed operational decisions and trustworthy claims, contact us on info@pivotal.earth.