What is ethical photography?
It can be difficult to resist certain photo opportunities - an adorable cub or pup at a den site, a closeup (from close up!) of a leopard on a termite mound, using spotlights to photograph a stalking lioness in the dark, making noises to attract attention from an animal. You get the idea. Please give them space, peace and quiet, and respect. And remember to put the camera down once in a while and just enjoy the amazing experience of sharing space with these incredible wild animals. Know that any images of cubs and pups from den sites you see on ACW have been taken by conservationists observing strict protocols. We do not accept den site images from citizen scientists.
Why these species?
Lions, hyaenas, wild dogs, leopards and cheetahs are competitors. And they know it. They are aware of each other all the time and have a profound impact on the existence, survival, distribution and success of each other as a species. So knowing where they all are and how many there are of each, over time and space, is critically important to understanding this predator guild and their ecosystem. That’s why.
Should I upload images of other types of animals?
While we love all of the African species, ACW focuses on the large predator guild—wild dogs, cheetahs, leopards, lions, and spotted hyaenas. Since the purpose of the site is to support the conservation of these carnivores, we limit the site to photos of only those five species.
What are the benefits of membership in ACW?
Membership in ACW offers you the ability to more closely follow the specific animals in the photographs you’ve uploaded, should they be matched with images provided by other citizen scientists or matched to known individuals already being studied by the ACW conservation community. And in the future, you’ll be able to access additional features and benefits as we add them.
What kind of image files can I upload?
Please upload your photos in either jpg or png format.
How many images can I upload at one time?
We recommend uploading no more than 30-50 photos at one time, depending on your bandwidth.
Is there an image size limit?
For our purposes, images between 5mb and 10mb are ideal. Smaller images upload faster!
What about video files?
We love videos! But currently video isn’t compatible with the AI technology. So please submit still images captured from your video files to ACW and feel free to upload your original videos to YouTube or Instagram, #africanwildbook. Alternatively, contact us directly at info@africancarnivorewildbook.org to enable conservationists to study your original videos.