Citizen Science

We incorporate local people (citizen scientists) and schools in our programs to engage their interest, knowledge, and ownership of wild cat conservation. Citizen scientists, trained by members of The University of Arizona Wild Cat Research Center, participate in wildlife conservation. Since 2014, over 75 participants have joined our team to gain training and work with experts to learn non-invasive sampling techniques, including camera monitoring, tracking, eDNA sampling, and data analyses.

Citizen Science leads the way with wildlife monitoring.

Our highly trained and dedicated citizen scientists have, and continue to, successfully monitor approximately 75-80 camera survey sites in over ten mountain ranges in the southwestern United States. Since the citizen science team began monitoring in April of 2014, they have sorted and analyzed hundreds of thousands of wildlife photos. Their data since the end of the USFWS jaguar and ocelot monitoring contract (June 2015) has included detections of three jaguars, two ocelots, genetically verified jaguar scat and host of threatened species.

A dedicated community…

Workshops…

UA Wild Cat Center citizen scientists receive an intensive course consisting of classroom and field-based education in jaguar and ocelot ecology, equipment operation and maintenance, data analysis, safety protocol, and outreach tips for engaging the public.

See our citizen science projects below…

Coronado National Forest FireScape Spotted Cat Monitoring

Southwest Border Resource Protection Program

  • National Park Service/ Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP)

  • Trail camera monitoring in Chiricahua National Monument (CNM) for jaguar detection - 2021-2022

    Aid conservation and management of endangered jaguar and ocelot in Arizona; aid conservation of the ecosystems that the jaguar and ocelot depend, through monitoring of intact wildlife communities. Continue citizen science trail-camera monitoring for endangered jaguar, ocelot and other wildlife. Continue development of web based SPARC’d App for photo data sorting, archiving, and analyses for scientific research uses and conservation/management efforts.

Coronado National Forest FireScape Spotted Cat Monitoring

Citizen Science and Education for Jaguar and Ocelot Conservation

  • The purpose of this project was to refine the development and implementation of the UA Citizen Science Program for Jaguar and Ocelot Monitoring. In order to accomplish this task, we worked closely to develop an educational program with methods to train, educate and evaluate Citizen Science learning occurring in both classroom and in the field.

National Geographic Education and Outreach Photography Collaboration

  • National Geographic Collaboration with Steve Winter and Alex

  • The University of Arizona worked with National Geographic photographer, Steve Winter and biologist/photographer Alex Buckisch to create outreach materials that included images.

Large Predator Study

  • UA-USFS Large Predator Study 2018-2020

    This project incorporated citizen scientists and University of scientists to monitor for large predators including jaguar and ocelot in the Santa Rita Mountains, the corridors between the Santa Rita and the Whetstone Mountains and the Whetstone Mountains. In addition to increasing knowledge regarding the movement of wildlife (including large predators) in the area, information collected during this investigation may identify a suitable wildlife crossing structure locations that could be constructed using Regional Transportation Authority funds dedicated for that purpose in the future.

Jaguar Surveying and Monitoring in the United States

  • Jaguar Surveying and Monitoring in The United States

    The University of Arizona (UA) established and implemented a non-invasive system for detecting and monitoring jaguars (Panthera onca) in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contract F11PXO5778 awarded on 20 September 2011. UA team members on this study had diverse expertise that included extensive field experience specifically focused on wild cats (including jaguars), facilitation/human dimensions experience, spatial analysis and modeling focused on large carnivores, and conservation genetics.

Development and Implementation of a Citizen Science Program for Jaguar and Ocelot Monitoring

  • University of Arizona Citizen Science IAA Project

    Development and Implementation of a Citizen Science Program for Jaguar and Ocelot Monitoring

  • University of Arizona Citizen Science IAA Project: Development and Implementation of a Citizen Science Program for Jaguar and Ocelot Monitoring

    The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a citizen science program to survey and monitor for jaguars and ocelots within the U.S. portion of the Northwestern Recovery Unit for the jaguar. Our study was undertaken to address two important objectives: 1) To develop a protocol to train volunteer participants or citizen scientists with little or no background in biology or wildlife conservation that will increase their knowledge of jaguars, ocelots, and their conservation, as well as scientific data collection methods; 2) to train citizen scientists to be effective and efficient in pursuit of scientific data gathered and analyzed while identifying and documenting wildlife observations from camera data.

  • Heritage Grant

Urban Bobcats and Mountain Lions:  A Public Outreach, Education and Docent Program

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