The CAUL Urban Wildlife App

The CAUL Urban Wildlife App allows citizens to help monitor and conserve native wildlife in Australian cities. The app was developed in consultation with wildlife experts, urban ecologists, urban land managers and decision-makers to identify key information gaps in urban wildlife management. There are four modules: bell frogs, flying-foxes, beneficial insects, and possums and gliders. These groups were selected because they can be common in urban environments and are often the target of management efforts either due to their public appeal, the ecosystem services they provide, or the potential to conflict with human residents. However, information on their distribution in urban environments, the threats affecting their persistence, or the best management practices, is lacking.
An important distinction from other apps is that the CAUL Urban Wildlife App allows data to be collected using the same protocols as scientists, ensuring that the outcomes are scientifically rigorous and targeted to key research questions for each module. Harnessing urban residents in question-driven citizen science has potential to both engage people with urban nature and provide information to bridge key gaps in the management of urban wildlife. The app allows citizen scientists to record sightings through timed surveys using a standardised protocol, or through incidental observations. Photos, videos and audio recordings can also be submitted with each observation and allow us to learn more about the nature and behaviour of wildlife in cities. Users can engage with all four modules or focus on their group of preference.