About Snapshot Wisconsin

HOW IT WORKS

Snapshot Wisconsin is a partnership to monitor wildlife year-round using a statewide network of volunteer-managed trail cameras. Using trail cameras creates opportunities to better understand wildlife populations and animal behavior that might be otherwise difficult to observe. From coniferous forests to vast prairies, Snapshot captures images of wildlife from Wisconsin’s diverse landscapes. The photos are then made available online and classified by volunteers from across the globe. The resulting dataset is used to inform DNR management decisions and help us learn more about Wisconsin’s wildlife.

A snapshot volunteer setting up her trail camera

VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

Apply to host your own Snapshot Wisconsin trail camera on private or public land in one of the statewide survey blocks. Learn more about the requirements and complete an application under Apply to Host a Trail Camera.

CLASSIFY PHOTOS

Photos collected by Snapshot Wisconsin cameras are made available on Zooniverse, a crowd-sourcing website for citizen science projects. Thousands of volunteers worldwide participate in Zooniverse by identifying wildlife captured in Snapshot Wisconsin photos. With multiple volunteers viewing each image, a highly accurate consensus is reached for each photo. Snapshot Wisconsin researchers can also help with tricky identifications on the website’s talk board. From black bears to badgers, see what critters you can spot roaming the Wisconsin landscape! Classify photos on Zooniverse today to get involved.

Check out the project FAQ if you have further questions. If you don't find what you're looking for, please reach out to the Snapshot Wisconsin team!