FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oxford developing new AI tool to improve wildlife mentions in online media for more effective conservation efforts
A research team at the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute is leading an innovative project to refine how wildlife is identified in digital news, helping conservationists direct their resources more effectively.
Reduce misclassification, prevent misinformation, and minimise misinterpretation of wildlife data in the media
In today’s digital age, online media plays a crucial role in shaping public perceptions of wildlife. Conservationists and researchers rely on media coverage to understand how people engage with and discuss wildlife-related issues. However, current keyword-based searches often misclassify content, leading to misleading insights. For instance, an article titled ‘Toronto Blue Jays Score Season High’ might be mistakenly flagged as wildlife-related when it actually refers to a baseball team.
To address this challenge, a team led by Dr Diogo Veríssimo is developing a machine learning (ML)-based filtering tool that can more accurately distinguish between genuine wildlife references and unrelated content. By comparing human-classified data with AI model outputs, the researchers aim to create a system that quickly and precisely identifies wildlife-related news, reducing misclassification, misinformation, and misinterpretation of wildlife data.
Why Does This Matter for Conservation?
Dr Veríssimo explains: ‘Understanding public sentiment towards wildlife is critical for conservation efforts. When people care about animals, they are more likely to support protection measures. However, tracking public attitudes isn’t always straightforward. Online media provides valuable insights, but only if we can accurately extract meaningful data. This is where AI can make a real difference. ‘
The project’s goal is to develop an advanced filtering tool that will help researchers and conservationists access clearer, more reliable insights from digital media. To ensure transparency and broad usability, the team plans to publish their findings as an open-access research paper, demonstrating how the tool can enhance media-based conservation research.
How You Can Get Involved
A key part of the project’s success relies on volunteers helping to create a ‘gold standard’ dataset by reviewing and classifying article titles to confirm whether they genuinely mention wildlife. This ground-truth data will be used to train and refine the AI model, making it even more accurate.
‘We’re inviting people from all backgrounds to take part in this effort’, says Dr Veríssimo. ‘By dedicating just a little time to sorting article titles, volunteers can play a direct role in improving conservation research. Together, we can build a tool that benefits scientists, conservationists, and, most importantly, the wildlife we all want to protect.’
Since the project launched just a few weeks ago, nearly 3,000 volunteers have already contributed, generating close to 2 million classifications—a testament to the power of people-driven research.
You can join the project, informally known as the ‘Nature SPAM Filter,’ on the Zooniverse citizen science platform.
Find out more and contribute to the Nature SPAM Filter project.
ENDS
About the Environmental Change Institute
The Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford was established in 1991. Its aim is to organise and promote interdisciplinary research on the nature, causes and impact of environmental change and to contribute to the development of management strategies for coping with future environmental change.
About the University of Oxford
Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the ninth year running, and number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer.
Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.
Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 300 new companies since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past five years. The university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the United Kingdom, contributing £15.7 billion to the UK economy in 2018/19, and supports more than 28,000 full time jobs.