Citizen Science Welfare Monitoring for Wildlife

Citizen science programmes engage the public in welfare monitoring of wild animal populations - contributing to research while building public engagement with animal welfare.

Key Facts

Citizen science involves members of the public collecting scientific data, often through apps and standardised protocols
The BTO BirdTrack and Garden BirdWatch schemes engage tens of thousands of volunteers
Citizen science is particularly valuable for monitoring widespread species at national scale
Physical condition scoring of wildlife from photographs is a citizen science welfare methodology
Roadkill recording schemes (like Project Splat in the UK) provide welfare-relevant population data
Whale and dolphin watching citizen science programmes monitor body condition and behaviour

Welfare Considerations

Citizen science welfare monitoring creates dual value - generating welfare data at scales impossible through academic research alone, while engaging citizens with animal welfare concerns. Participants who monitor wildlife welfare develop stronger welfare concern and are more likely to engage in protective behaviours and advocacy. Apps like iRecord and eBird make participation accessible. The welfare data generated - population trends, disease incidence, injury rates - directly informs conservation and welfare management decisions. Investing in citizen science infrastructure is a high-leverage welfare science investment.

What You Can Do

Participate in BTO BirdTrack, Garden BirdWatch, or similar citizen science schemes
Download and use wildlife recording apps including iNaturalist and iRecord
Submit roadkill records to Project Splat to contribute to wildlife mortality data
Join a whale watch citizen science programme if you live near coastal areas
Support BTO, Mammal Society, and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation citizen science funding
Share citizen science opportunities with friends and family to grow monitoring networks