I was running, my heart pounding right out of my chest. I couldn’t stop, even for a second, or I would lose the life I was holding in my hands.
I had wandered far away into the woods during a wildlife project I had signed up for. But here I was, with a juvenile hornbill in my hands! I would never have picked up this chick if its mother or the nest were around — I had looked for both for quite a while, and had even hidden myself away at a distance. But the chick was clearly injured, and she was left all alone. “Could it have slipped out of the claws of a predator…” this thought made me trust my instincts — the baby bird needed urgent medical aid.
As soon as I saw my group, my eyes darted to find the one who could help. There he was! The veterinary doctor who had introduced himself at the beginning of the survey. Puzzled at first, the doctor’s expression turned to one of concern. As he took the little hornbill gently into his hands, he looked up at me. “It’s good you decided to take part in the hornbill survey… you managed to save a precious life.”
What is Citizen Science?
Citizen Science is a joint venture between the general public and scientists to perform research in a specific field. Anyone can sign up for a project they feel passionately about and are willing to support it. Having joined one, volunteers are expected to collect data at various stages of the process. For animal conservation studies, wildlife populations, also known as census, is an essential citizen science project. Wildlife enthusiasts participate in this to gather data that can be used for detailed analysis. Census oriented projects involve interesting techniques such as:
- Transects: Walking in a straight line and counting the number of individuals of a species along the path.
- Point Counts: When an observer stands at a fixed location for a set period of time and counts the number of individuals of a species without moving.
Another great citizen science project that volunteers can participate in is recording animal behaviour (such as feeding, shelter, social structure) through careful observation of them in a given region for a designated period of time. If knowledge about the habitat is gathered, especially if it has faced deterioration, fragmentation or depletion, it can help in research concerning habitat restoration.
If you’re wondering if this idea of involving the public in research projects is a recent development, you’ll be stunned to know that it isn’t! The concept dates back to Christmas in the year 1900, when an ornithologist named Frank Chapman initiated a bird census to replace the annual bird-hunt that was carried out. Human footprint on the environment was at a steady rise, which led to the suggestion of spotting birds to understand its existing population. However, the official term ‘citizen science’ was coined much later in the 1990s by ornithologists, researchers who specialise in the study of birds, encouraging eager citizens to be closely involved in generating wildlife awareness.
Why is Citizen Science Important for Wildlife?
Let’s explore how citizen science comes as an opportunity to save Earth’s diverse co-inhabitants.
Enhanced Data Collection
Data forms the foundation of any research project, however, its collection can become a tedious task for scientists who can visit only a limited number of locations within a certain timeframe. Even if the project is not time sensitive, it is more efficient to involve local people familiar with the ecology of the area. This is because these knowledgeable volunteers can offer significant insights which would otherwise take scientists a considerable amount of effort to procure.
Mitigating Human-Wildlife Conflict
With the rising human population expanding settlements into wild landscapes, conflict with wildlife has increased. Citizen science can play a crucial role in tracking patterns of human-wildlife conflict based on the knowledge of areas prone to wildlife encounters. With the help of this data gathering, biologists reach a better position to predict potential scenarios and prepare for them in advance.
For instance, Wildlife SOS’s project in Chhattisgarh had been initiated in 2017 to mitigate human-elephant conflict. Reverse migration of elephants, meaning elephants making their way back to their place of origin (due to habitat fragmentation in neighbouring states like Jharkhand and Odisha), caused a rise in crop-raiding by a specific herd. To manage this and prevent dangerous encounters, radio collaring of the herd’s matriarch was initiated, because understanding her location would indicate the proximity of her entire herd and their movement.
While this helped in timely alerts, Wildlife SOS also encouraged local volunteers across conflict zones to ensure that peaceful coexistence between elephants and people could be followed. Along with the forest department, Wildlife SOS initiated Volunteer Rapid Response Teams (VRRTs) and a community group called Hathi Mitra Dal (Friends of Elephants) that empowered citizens to promote elephant conservation through devised techniques.
Invasive Species Surveillance
The word “invasive” means anything that spreads quickly and is difficult to control or limit. There are several invasive species that have been introduced to India simply because they were ornamental. But did you know that invasive species are the second biggest threat to biodiversity, right after habitat loss?
So how can people help control these species that negatively dominate the environment? By timely detecting their presence and reporting it. Early detection can help nip the problem in the bud.
So far, citizen science has been used for reporting early detection of invasive species and how much it has spread. The group maps the rate of growth of such species and also assesses the impact they have on the pre-existing biodiversity. Since one generic solution cannot be used to solve this widespread issue, data collected location wise helps scientists to derive an action plan specific to the region.
Why Should Citizens Participate?
Increased Awareness
Should we participate in citizen science? Well yes, of course!
In today’s world, growing awareness of biodiversity loss has made many people concerned, and citizen science is a tool that can empower one with specific skills and scientific concepts to fill knowledge gaps. Activities are often led by scientists on-field, which gives citizens the opportunity to interact with them and the local people and ask relevant questions. It is highly rewarding to apply what is learnt that can help derive solutions contributing to larger conservation goals.
Community Engagement and Cohesion
Citizen science opportunities create platforms to bring together citizens that are passionate about the subject of study. Certain projects are led by the guidance of local communities that closely understand the study area. As a citizen science volunteer, you gain knowledge, help to spread awareness, and provide fresh and sensitive perspectives towards solutions.
Sense of Purpose
Contributing to real-world problems and meaningful research is sure to give one a sense of fulfilment. Participating in wildlife citizen science projects is one way to stay connected with nature and its well-being. Efforts with other volunteers working for the same cause can instill a deep sense of motivation to remain determined and persistent.
If you’re new to this concept and wish to be a part of a project, here are easy steps that can help you start!
Wildlife SOS and Citizen Science
Wildlife SOS encourages citizen science initiatives towards wildlife conservation. Our team in Jammu & Kashmir, in collaboration with the forest department, has been proactively assessing the population of hanguls (Kashmir stag) as part of the biennial hangul census conducted. In 2025, close to 100 volunteers including students participated in this citizen friendly project along with our team. The group gained a close understanding of the species that is declared Critically Endangered by IUCN, and the urgent need to conserve them.
Wildlife SOS also joins in for the Asian Waterbird Census that takes place annually. Since the Agra Bear Rescue Facility (ABRF) is situated inside Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, our participation to record remarkable avian species becomes inevitable. This project is a great platform for participants to learn from scholars, bird experts and understand their perspectives as well.
Wildlife SOS also collaborated with the Delhi Forest Department and Delhi Bird Foundation and launched the Delhi Bird Atlas, a citizen science initiative to conduct the summer bird survey of 2025. We were thrilled to note that among the 160 birds recorded, 21 species were spotted for the first time in Delhi. The data has been added on eBird, a popular and reliable platform that is open to citizen bird surveys across India and the world.
Human beings share this astounding planet with a colossal number of other living beings that have the right to claim a healthy environment for their survival. A wildlife conservation drive is therefore based on people’s sensitivity and awareness.
Wildlife citizen science has multiple options you can get involved with. Take this quiz to know how you can channel your interest and find your ideal project:
As a concerned citizen, if you ever come across human-wildlife conflict situations, or any wildlife in distress, please help us in managing it. You can call the 24×7 helpline numbers in the following locations to report:
Delhi-NCR – +91-9871963535
Agra & Mathura, Uttar Pradesh – +91-9917109666
Vadodara, Gujarat – +91-9825011117
Jammu & Kashmir – +91-7006692300 / +91-9419778280
Feature Image: Atharva Pacharne/Wildlife SOS
