EYES ON RECOVERY

Using innovative technology, ‘Eyes on Recovery’ is Australia’s first large-scale collaborative camera sensor project that measures the impact of the 2019-20 summer bushfires on wildlife.

With the support of Google.org, the goal is to deploy more than 600 remotely activated cameras to track fauna recovery post-fire.

Locations, projects and species

WWF-Australia has partnered with a range of on-the-ground project partners, from National Parks and Wildlife Services to environmental organisations, and deployed cameras in more than seven fire-affected regions. These cameras are allowing us to answer questions on fire impacts and recovery for species like the Kangaroo Island dunnart, brush-tailed rock-wallabies in Queensland and koalas on the north coast of New South Wales. Hover over the locations on the map to learn about some of the current projects, as well as the key species they are supporting.

Darren Grover from WWF-Australia and Paul Jennings from Kangaroo Island Landscape Board install sensor cameras in Flinders Chase National Park on the western end of Kangaroo Island. The cameras are designed to track the recovery of animals impacted by Australia’s bushfires as part of a project called An Eye on Recovery. WWF-Australia and Conservation International, supported with a USD 1 million grant from Google’s philanthropic arm Google.org, have launched An Eye on Recovery, Australia’s first large-scale collaborative camera sensor project.

Eye on recovery project - Kangaroo Island © WWF-Australia / Slavica Miskovich

Conservation meets innovation

These remote sensor cameras will capture valuable footage that will be analysed through Google-powered AI technology via the Wildlife Insights platform, in collaboration with Conservation International. This will allow us to gain a better understanding of impacted species, their resilience and how we can implement recovery actions to help them, both now and after any future bushfire events.

The wildlife Insights platform

The Wildlife Insights platform is a global, online program with image management, storage, sharing and analysis capabilities, all rolled into one user-friendly tool. Initial images will help train this AI platform to accurately identify Australian fauna in real time, with guidance from the team at Wildlife Insights. If you have your own wildlife cameras out there, you can contribute to this conservation movement by uploading those images to the Wildlife Insights platform.

Mother and baby wombat captured in a photo from a camera trap

Kangaroo Island dunnart captured in a photo from a camera trap

Wombat captured in a photo from a camera trap, being recognised by AI technology

Koala captured in a photo from a camera trap, northern NSW

Can you help?

If you are interested in knowing more about the project, or if you’re working with remote sensor cameras in fire-impacted areas, please contact WWF-Australia via eyes@wwf.org.au. Together, we can help wildlife.