University of Primorska

The University of Primorska coordinates the Horizon 2020 project STEP CHANGE, which focuses on the implementation of five Citizen Science Initiatives (CSI) in the areas of health, energy and environment. 

One of the CSIs address wildlife monitoring and conservation in Slovenia. For the wildlife observation we developed a new app for monitoring species with the help of outdoor enthusiasts (hikers, hunters, farmers, photographers, and others) who live in or visit Slovenia and want to become citizen scientists. Regular and systematic monitoring of various species is also required by Slovenian and European legislation. 

Today, not only researchers but also nature lovers can make an exceptional contribution to better monitoring and understanding of wildlife populations and their needs. The collected data will not only contribute to better understanding of wildlife, but also to better management and protection of wildlife in Slovenia. 

Thanks to the widespread use of smartphones and the development of dedicated apps, everyone can now contribute, and the role of “citizen scientists” is becoming increasingly important. By linking citizen science data with large datasets from environmental observations, researchers can now address aspects that previously could not be achieved with their forces alone. 

The app is available for both smartphones and computers and requires only a one-time registration via email. Despite the ability to enter multiple data, the app is user-friendly, guiding users through internal links and simple menus from the beginning to the end of entering an observation. Through the app, users can get a graphical overview of their own entries and the overall information for the entire country. 

The project also includes systematic camera traps that are set up randomly, using a twofold approach. 

First, the random extraction of square cells from a lattice grid with a 10-km cell structure covering different area characterised by the presence of the most heterogeneous wildlife populations in the country.

Then, 12 random points are selected in each cell where camera traps are placed for a period of 30 days, the minimum period recommended for fauna inventory. Square cells are sampled without replacement, so each cell cannot be selected multiple times from the entire sampling frame. 

Sampling sites for camera traps are taken at random. Project results feed into broader European and global initiatives such as GEO BON and EuropaBON and the European Wildlife Observatory and are linked to other initiatives such as SnapShot Europe and Enetwild.