Wildlife Picture Index

This novel approach is being developed by ZSL and WCS to provide information on the status and trends of species in five countries, and it is being expanded by other organisations in partnership across the globe.In 2009, the WPI was successfully trialled for the first time in Mongolia in Myangan Ugalzat National Park. The technique was employed at two sites: one in the core of the national park and the other in the buffer zone. A range of species were successfully detected, including small rodents and birds, argali sheep and the endangered Mongolian marmot. Results also gave valuable information on the presence of domestic animals and humans inside the protected area.

In 2010, the WPI monitored two additional protected areas in Mongolia. This technique allows individual sites to adapt their wildlife management based on robust data. Furthermore, the WPI will provide the first global indicator capable of identifying where conservation and wilderness areas are protecting species and where they are not. This information is currently unavailable, but is essential for understanding global trends in biodiversity, measuring the efficacy of protected areas, setting conservation priorities and monitoring progress towards reducing the rate of biodiversity loss.