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Introducing a unique animal ID and digital life history museum for wildlife metadata
Martin Wikelski 
,
Michael Quetting ,
John Bates ,
Tanya Berger‐Wolf ,
Gil Bohrer ,
Luca Borger ,
Taylor Chapple ,
Margaret C. Crofoot ,
Sarah C. Davidson ,
Dina K. N. Dechmann ,
Diego Ellis‐Soto ,
Elizabeth R. Ellwood ,
Wolfgang Fiedler ,
Andrea Flack ,
Barbara Fruth ,
Novella Franconi ,
Rasmus Worsøe Havmøller ,
Julian Hirt,
Nigel E. Hussey ,
Fabiola Iannarilli ,
Matthias Landwehr ,
Maximilian E. Müller ,
Thomas Mueller ,
Uschi Mueller ,
Ruth Y. Oliver ,
Jesko Partecke ,
Ivan Pokrovsky ,
Liya Pokrovskaya ,
Dustin R. Rubenstein ,
Christian Rutz ,
Kamran Safi ,
Andrea Santangeli ,
O. Louis van Schalkwyk ,
Ana M. M. Sequeira ,
Sherub Sherub ,
Tharmalingam Ramesh,
Pauli Viljoen,
Kaja A. Wasik ,
Timm A. Wild ,
Scott Yanco ,
Roland Kays
,
Michael Quetting ,
John Bates ,
Tanya Berger‐Wolf ,
Gil Bohrer ,
Luca Borger ,
Taylor Chapple ,
Margaret C. Crofoot ,
Sarah C. Davidson ,
Dina K. N. Dechmann ,
Diego Ellis‐Soto ,
Elizabeth R. Ellwood ,
Wolfgang Fiedler ,
Andrea Flack ,
Barbara Fruth ,
Novella Franconi ,
Rasmus Worsøe Havmøller ,
Julian Hirt,
Nigel E. Hussey ,
Fabiola Iannarilli ,
Matthias Landwehr ,
Maximilian E. Müller ,
Thomas Mueller ,
Uschi Mueller ,
Ruth Y. Oliver ,
Jesko Partecke ,
Ivan Pokrovsky ,
Liya Pokrovskaya ,
Dustin R. Rubenstein ,
Christian Rutz ,
Kamran Safi ,
Andrea Santangeli ,
O. Louis van Schalkwyk ,
Ana M. M. Sequeira ,
Sherub Sherub ,
Tharmalingam Ramesh,
Pauli Viljoen,
Kaja A. Wasik ,
Timm A. Wild ,
Scott Yanco ,
Roland Kays
Methods in Ecology and Evolution, Volume: 15, Issue: 10, Pages: 1777 - 1788
Swansea University Authors:
Luca Borger , Novella Franconi
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DOI (Published version): 10.1111/2041-210x.14407
Abstract
Over the past five decades, a large number of wild animals have been individually identified by various observation systems and/or temporary tracking methods, providing unparalleled insights into their lives over both time and space. However, so far there is no comprehensive record of uniquely indiv...
| Published in: | Methods in Ecology and Evolution |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2041-210X 2041-210X |
| Published: |
Wiley
2024
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| Online Access: |
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67963 |
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| Abstract: |
Over the past five decades, a large number of wild animals have been individually identified by various observation systems and/or temporary tracking methods, providing unparalleled insights into their lives over both time and space. However, so far there is no comprehensive record of uniquely individually identified animals nor where their data and metadata are stored, for example photos, physiological and genetic samples, disease screens, information on social relationships. Databases currently do not offer unique identifiers for living, individual wild animals, similar to the permanent ID labelling for deceased museum specimens. To address this problem, we introduce two new concepts: (1) a globally unique animal ID (UAID) available to define uniquely and individually identified animals archived in any database, including metadata archived at the time of publication; and (2) the digital ‘home’ for UAIDs, the Movebank Life History Museum (MoMu), storing and linking metadata, media, communications and other files associated with animals individually identified in the wild. MoMu will ensure that metadata are available for future generations, allowing permanent linkages to information in other databases. MoMu allows researchers to collect and store photos, behavioural records, genome data and/or resightings of UAIDed animals, encompassing information not easily included in structured datasets supported by existing databases. Metadata is uploaded through the Animal Tracker app, the MoMu website, by email from registered users or through an Application Programming Interface (API) from any database. Initially, records can be stored in a temporary folder similar to a field drawer, as naturalists routinely do. Later, researchers and specialists can curate these materials for individual animals, manage the secure sharing of sensitive information and, where appropriate, publish individual life histories with DOIs. The storage of such synthesized lifetime stories of wild animals under a UAID (unique identifier or ‘animal passport’) will support basic science, conservation efforts and public participation. |
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| Item Description: |
Perspective |
| Keywords: |
Animal passport, biologging, community science, life history, lifetime tracking |
| College: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering |
| Funders: |
We thank the global community of animal trackers for jointly creating a digital museum of individual animal life histories. C.R. acknowledges funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF9881) and the National Geographic Society (NGS-82515R-20). G.B., R.K., S.C.D. and D.E.-S. acknowledge funding from NASA. A.S. and F.I. acknowledge support from the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Individual Fellowships (grant no. 101027534 and no. 101107666, respectively). S.C.D. acknowledges funding from NASA Ecological Forecasting Program Grant 80NSSC21K1182. A.M.M.S. was supported by an ARC DP DP210103091. This project is funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation through Grant GBMF10539 to M.W., as well as the Academy for the Protection of Zoo Animals and Wildlife e.V., Germany. We deeply thank Nicolas Lecomte and the MEE reviewers for suggestions improving this work. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. |
| Issue: |
10 |
| Start Page: |
1777 |
| End Page: |
1788 |