From the 5th to the 11th of May 2025, the WildINTEL consortium gathered in the Polish Tatra Mountains at the field station of the Institute of Nature Conservation (IOP PAN) in Zakopane, for the second official meeting of the project.
The meeting brought together a team of interdisciplinary researchers in ecology, wildlife monitoring, biodiversity science, mathematics, and artificial intelligence to reflect on progress, align strategies, and strengthen collaboration across partner institutions. The meeting featured detailed presentations from each study area, showcasing initial findings, technical advancements, and future directions. These included updates on data collection, camera trap deployment, AI-based species recognition pipelines, citizen science engagement, and region-specific monitoring strategies.
One of the topics discussed was the adaptation of study designs to diverse environmental challenges across regions. In the Tatra Mountains, for example, deep snow and rugged terrain make camera trap deployment a true adventure, not for the faint of heart. Meanwhile, monitoring reindeer populations in southern Norway poses different challenges, such as vast and remote mountainous landscapes, seasonal accessibility issues, and the need for spatially adaptive sampling strategies.
The team from the University of Huelva presented their workflow for preprocessing, image management, and use of the Trapper client for semiautomated collection of camera trap data. To ensure the highest data quality outcomes, images are classified through a combination of AI models, citizen science contributions via the Zooniverse platform, and expert validation.
Another central theme was the dissemination and sharing of project results. Discussions focused on maximizing the utility and accessibility of generated biodiversity data for science, policy, and conservation stakeholders.
The working sessions were both rigorous and productive, emphasizing key challenges and opportunities as the project scales up. These discussions were enriched by on-site field visits in the surrounding Tatra National Park, where the group had the remarkable opportunity to observe local wildlife, including brown bears and chamois, highlighting the region’s biodiversity richness.
As the project progresses, WildINTEL remains committed to delivering high-quality, scalable biodiversity data to global platforms such as GBIF, EuropaBON, and GEO BON, empowering broader efforts in wildlife conservation and ecological research.
by Monika Hoffmann