Seal Wildbook

Machine Learning & Citizen Science & Conservation Research

Wildbook applies computer vision algorithms and deep learning to identify and track individual animals across hundreds of thousands of photos. We help researchers collaborate with each other and citizen scientists contribute to the effort. A.I. scales and speeds research and conservation.

Step 1. Deep Learning Finds Animals

We train computer vision to automatically process photos and identify the species of any animal found.

Step 2. Algorithms and Neural Networks Identify Individuals

When we know where each animal is, we can identify them individually using algorithms that make digital "fingerprints" for each animal, looking for unique patterns. We replace hours of human labor with just a few minutes of computer vision, scanning for matches across tens of thousands of photos.

Step 3. Population Dynamics Define Conservation Action

If we can quickly track individuals in a population, we can model size and migration to generate new insights and support rapid, data-driven conservation action.

One Platform, Many Species, Many Researchers

We can identify individuals of these species using fully automated computer vision:

and more soon!

1320 identified animals

15350 reported sightings

50 citizen scientists

90 researchers and volunteers


Why we do this

Seals roam so vastly that no one research group can study them across their range. Seal Wildbook enables researchers to come together across countries and species to more easily study and protect these animals.