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

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.

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.

Notable moments