orcasymposium@circe.info

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Photo-identification 50 years later: Where we are and where we are going

February 18 @ 2:00 pm - February 19 @ 11:00 am

Facilitator: Jared Towers ( jrtowers@gmail.com)
Co-facilitator: Eve Jourdain (evejourdain@yahoo.fr)

Photo-identification has been used for research of killer whales since the early 1970s. In 2004, when the last orca symposium was held, researchers using photo-identification were in the initial stages of transitioning from film to digital photography. This required a new, although sometimes, analogous method for recording the identities of individuals within specific images. However, digital image formatting standards brought about a new framework for which to record metadata, create and store image libraries, search for keywords, as well as subsample and share data.

The onset of digital photo-identification in killer whale research has among other things resulted in globally widespread increases in 1) number of images shot per encounter, 2) amount of data submitted by citizen scientists, 3) amount of time required for image analysis, and 4) capacity for data management and storage. It has also increased the exposure that killer whales have to field research and our understanding of the species overall.

Many of the implications and advancements of digital photography for killer whale photo-identification are now long taken for granted, but with the onset of machine learning (AI) we are again on the cusp of another technological shift that will be applied to the ways in which we work with photo-identification data of this species.

The purposes of this workshop are to identify and discuss areas for improvement in:

  1. The conduct of killer whale photo-identification in the field

  2. The storage and accessibility of photo-identification data

  3. The workflow associated with recording metadata (including ID) in/for images

  4. The design and management of databases

  5. The automation of specific analysis steps or entire methods

  6. The development of studies focused on underwater and aerial photo-identification

  7. Other relative issues

An intention of this workshop is to assess the feasibility of working towards global photo-identification standards for killer whales in acknowledging the welfare of study animals during data collection in the field as well as in developing consistency of analysis protocols in preparation for enhanced collaborative studies and the immanent application of AI. The proceedings of this workshop will be summarized and made publicly available.

You have to consult with the event organizer:

Important Update on Workshop Registration!

Send your mail to:

 jrtowers@gmail.comevejourdain@yahoo.fr

To streamline the registration process and ensure better management, we have made some important changes:

  1. The workshop registration form has been removed from the website.

  2. Participants must now contact the workshop organizers directly via email to register.

  3. In your registration email, please provide the following basic information:

    • Your full name.

    • Your institution.

    • Your reason for interest in the workshop.

The process has been simplified to ensure better management of participants. This change will allow organizers to manage registrations directly, prioritize participants based on specific criteria, and improve communication with attendees.

Please note that capacity is still limited. Therefore, we encourage you to register as soon as possible to secure your spot.

If you have any questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to seeing you at the workshop!

House of Culture

C/ Amor de Dios
Tarifa, Cádiz 11380 Spain