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talk · Friday 25 September · 10:55–⁠11:10 · SAL C

Snapshot Japan: A Community-Driven Network for Large-Scale Wildlife Biodiversity Monitoring Using Camera Traps

Kumiko Totsu · From Standards to Implementation: Connecting Observation Data in Asia to GBIF Infrastructure

Recording time 3:02:45–3:16:53Open on Vimeo ↗

Summaries and key moments are machine-produced. Check the recording for the speaker’s exact words.

The short versionCommunity support plus a simple standard protocol and Camtrap DP publishing let Snapshot Japan scale camera-trap monitoring from 9 to 65 sites in three years.

Overview

What this was about

Kumiko Totsu presented Snapshot Japan, the only Asian regional initiative of Snapshot Global, which runs a standardised annual September-October camera-trap survey with researchers, citizen groups, schools, NPOs and companies. She described the protocol (at least eight unbaited cameras per site, 200 m-5 km apart, site selection by disturbance level and habitat), participant support (websites, help desk, webinars, camera lending, a participant-only Shiny visualisation app), and the data flow from Wildlife Insights through expert-checked identifications to Camtrap DP conversion with an R tool, publication as data papers in Biodiversity Data Journal and on GBIF. Sites grew from 9 in 2023 to 32 in 2024 and 65 in 2025.

Why it matters. It is a practical model for extending standardised camera-trap monitoring and GBIF publication into Asia, where Snapshot Global coverage is thin.

Key ideas

In the room

  • Long-term citizen monitoring needs community maintenance, quality control of identification and protocols, and internationally standardised data formats.
  • Snapshot Japan was established in 2023 with eight principal investigators; a five-person management team runs it.
  • Annual cycle: QC and publication of the previous year's data, participant feedback, recruitment, deployment in September-October, tutorials, and uploading by a deadline.
  • Protocol: at least eight cameras per site, 200 m to 5 km apart, no bait or lures, site selection by combinations of disturbance level and habitat type.
  • Data are uploaded and tagged in Wildlife Insights, checked by the management team with taxonomic experts, converted to Camtrap DP with an R tool on GitHub, and published as data papers and GBIF datasets; a beginner-friendly converter is being developed.
  • Sites increased from 9 (2023) to 32 (2024) to 65 (2025), covering Hokkaido to Okinawa, with growing participation from NPOs, companies and high schools.
  • Participants joined mainly out of interest, for camera lending, and through recommendations within research networks.
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Notable moments

In their words

Transcript

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Programme abstract

Snapshot Japan: A Community-Driven Network for Large-Scale Wildlife Biodiversity Monitoring Using Camera Traps

Kumiko Totsu

To understand global biodiversity change, standardized data and common monitoring methods are increasingly important. This presentation introduces Snapshot Japan, a Japan-based network inspired by Snapshot Global. Since 2023, annual surveys have been conducted during September-October with participation from researchers, citizen groups, museums, schools, and private companies. Camera trap images are managed on Wildlife Insights and cross-checked prior to data paper publication.

Participation has been promoted through mailing lists, a dedicated website, camera trap lending, online orientation sessions, manuals, and email/chat support. Participant feedback is incorporated into annual operational improvements. Snapshot Japan has also developed a web application for visualizing Wildlife Insights data and calculating Relative Abundance Index (RAI).

The number of survey sites increased from 9 in 2023 to 65 in 2025. Participation from high schools and private companies notably increased in 2025, partly reflecting growing interest in Nature Positive activities. The network has facilitated collaboration among academic, citizen science, educational, and private-sector communities.

To promote international data reuse, datasets are published through GBIF in Camtrap DP format, an international standard for camera trap data. These data are also available through Wild Album. In addition, an R package for converting Wildlife Insights data into Camtrap DP has been developed, and a non-R application is under development. Although participation from Asian countries in Snapshot Global remains limited, Snapshot Japan could provide a practical model for expanding standardized camera trap monitoring networks across Asia.

Submitted to the conference programme before the talk, so the talk itself may differ.