Sharkbook Explained

Formerly:whaleshark.org, wildbook for whale sharks
Status:nonprofit
Purpose:Online citizen science database to identify and track sharks, in particular whale sharks
Parent Organization:Marine Megafauna Foundation, WildMe
Volunteers:9445 citizen scientists, 313 researchers
Website:https://www.sharkbook.ai

Sharkbook is a global database for identifying and tracking sharks, particularly whale sharks, using uploaded photos and videos.In addition to identifying and tracking sharks, the site allows people to "adopt a shark" and get updates on specific animals.

Creation

Sharkbook is the result of collaboration between Simon J Pierce of the Marine Megafauna Foundation and Jason Holmberg of Wild Me. The software is Open Source and is now being used by other biology projects.[1] [2] [3]

Identification of individual sharks

Whale sharks have unique spot patterning on their sides, similar to a human fingerprint, which allows for individual identification. Scuba divers around the world can photograph sharks and upload their identification photographs to the Sharkbook website, supporting global research and conservation efforts.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] Additionally, the software automatically searches social media sites like YouTube and Instagram to look for images of whale sharks and adds them to the database.

Sharkbook software uses special pattern-matching software to identify the unique spots on each shark. This software and algorithms were originally adapted from NASA star tracking software used on the Hubble Space Telescope.[9] This software uses a scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) algorithm, which can cope with complications presented by highly variable spot patterns and low contrast photographs.[10] [11]

Purpose

This citizen science tool is free to use by researchers worldwide. Sharkbook represents a global initiative to centralize shark sightings and facilitate research on these vulnerable species.[12] [13] [14] [15]

See also

References

  1. Web site: Davis . Jessica . 2021-06-29 . How a Wildlife AI Platform Solved its Data Challenge . . InformationWeek.
  2. Web site: How A.I. is helping to protect the endangered whale sharks of the Galapagos . 2023-02-09 . Fortune . en.
  3. Web site: 2018-11-13 . How artificial intelligence is changing wildlife research . https://web.archive.org/web/20210223201909/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/artificial-intelligence-counts-wild-animals . dead . February 23, 2021 . 2023-02-10 . . en.
  4. Marshall . A. D. . Pierce . S. J. . April 2012 . The use and abuse of photographic identification in sharks and rays . Journal of Fish Biology . en . 80 . 5 . 1361–1379 . 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03244.x. 22497388 .
  5. News: Weintraub . Karen . 2017-11-29 . Tracking the Elusive Whale Shark . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-02-10 . 0362-4331.
  6. Web site: 2016-11-11 . Tracking the Sea's Gentle Giants . https://web.archive.org/web/20220528005650/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/brad-norman-explorer-moments-identification-system-helps-protect-whale-sharks . dead . May 28, 2022 . 2023-02-10 . . en.
  7. Web site: Nature up close: Whale sharks . 2023-02-10 . CBS News . en-US.
  8. McCoy . Emer . Burce . Raul . David . David . Aca . Elson Q. . Hardy . Jennifer . Labaja . Jessica . Snow . Sally J. . Ponzo . Alessandro . Araujo . Gonzalo . 2018 . Long-Term Photo-Identification Reveals the Population Dynamics and Strong Site Fidelity of Adult Whale Sharks to the Coastal Waters of Donsol, Philippines . Frontiers in Marine Science . 5 . 10.3389/fmars.2018.00271 . 2296-7745. free .
  9. Web site: 2021-03-01 . The Hubble Telescope could help save the world's largest fish . 2023-02-12 . Warp News . en.
  10. Web site: Scientists are using cloud computing and AI to track these mysterious, beautiful whale sharks . 2023-02-10 . ZDNET . en.
  11. Web site: Russell . Mark 'Crowley' . 2022-03-21 . Study shows need for whale shark population monitoring . 2023-02-10 . DIVE Magazine . en-GB.
  12. Web site: Stacey . Adrian . 2020-05-20 . Dive Photos Needed Scuba Diver Mag . 2023-02-09 . en-gb.
  13. Web site: Whale shark sightings increase in Tampa Bay area (w/video) . 2023-02-10 . Tampa Bay Times . en.
  14. Web site: 2016-10-12 . 22 years and counting – the two whale sharks calling Ningaloo home . 2023-02-10 . Australian Geographic . en-US.
  15. Araujo . Gonzalo . Agustines . Ariana . Tracey . Brian . Snow . Sally . Labaja . Jessica . Ponzo . Alessandro . 2019-11-20 . Photo-ID and telemetry highlight a global whale shark hotspot in Palawan, Philippines . . en . 9 . 1 . 17209 . 10.1038/s41598-019-53718-w . 31748588 . 6868279 . 2019NatSR...917209A . 2045-2322.

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