How to Use AI Tools for Identifying Animal Species in Wildlife Photos

By a Wildlife Photographer Who Uses AI Every Day

As a wildlife photographer, I’ve spent countless hours in forests, wetlands, and savannahs capturing the raw beauty of nature. But snapping the perfect shot is only half the journey. The real challenge often lies in identifying the species I’ve photographed, especially when the animal is elusive, rare, or partially obscured. That’s where AI tools have become my secret weapon.

Discover how cutting-edge AI tools are changing the game in species recognition, turning ordinary wildlife photos into windows into biodiversity. Learn how researchers, photographers, and nature lovers can tap into this tech.

Want to know which animal is in your safari photo? AI can tell you! Explore the best tools and apps that help identify species from images, complete with scientific names and fast results.

In this article, I’ll walk you through how I personally use AI to identify animal species in my wildlife photos, share the best tools available, and explain how this technology is revolutionizing conservation photography.

Why AI Matters in Wildlife Photography and Conservation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized various industries, and photography is no exception. AI isn’t just a tech buzzword. It’s a game-changer for conservation. With biodiversity declining at alarming rates, accurate species identification helps researchers, photographers, and citizen scientists monitor populations, track migration, and document rare sightings.

As someone who contributes to conservation databases, I rely on AI to:

  • Quickly identify species from thousands of images

  • Reduce human error in classification

  • Support ecological research with accurate data

My Go-To AI Tools for Species Identification

Here are the tools I personally use and recommend to fellow wildlife photographers and conservationists:

1.iNaturalist

  • What it does: Uses AI to identify plants and animals from photos. When you upload a photo of a plant, animal, or fungus, iNaturalist’s computer vision model analyzes it and suggests possible species matches based on visual traits.

  • It uses a deep learning model trained on millions of verified observations to make these suggestions.

  • The system works both online and offline, making it handy for fieldwork in remote areas.

  • After the AI gives its best guess, the iNaturalist community steps in. Experts and enthusiasts review your observation and help refine the identification. This crowdsourced verification ensures higher accuracy and helps train the AI further.

  • Why I love it: It’s backed by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic. I upload my images, and the app suggests species with confidence scores.

  • Bonus: It contributes to global biodiversity databases

2. Wildlife Insights

  • What it does: Wildlife Insights is a powerful platform designed specifically for processing and analyzing camera trap images. It uses AI to identify animal species with impressive accuracy, and it’s a phenomenal tool for conservationists and wildlife photographers.

  • Why use it: It’s built for conservationists. People upload batches of images from their field trips, and the AI (SpeciesNet) identifies species with up to 94.5% accuracy.

  • Bonus: It’s open source and used by WWF and other global organizations

Personal note: I am learning the way of using Wildlife Insights to process images from one of my future planning camera trap projects in Sweden. It will help me catalog animals.

3. Galaxy AI Animal Identifier

  • What it does: Instantly identifies animals from uploaded photos

  • Why it’s useful: No login is required, and it provides detailed info on habitat, behavior, and conservation status

  • Pro tip: Upload clear, well-lit images from multiple angles for best results

4. Topaz Photo AI

  • What it does: Enhances wildlife photos using AI sharpens, denoises, and upscales

  • Why I use it: Sometimes I shoot in low light or crop heavily. Topaz recovers detail and clarity without compromising quality

Example: I captured a Sri Lankan Leopard at dusk. The image was noisy and soft, but Topaz Photo AI made it crisp enough for publication.

5. Seek by iNaturalist

  • What it does: Real-time species identification via smartphone camera

  • Why it’s great: Perfect for fieldwork. I use it when hiking or exploring new habitats without internet access

How AI Works Behind the Scenes

Most AI tools use deep learning models trained on millions of labeled images. These models recognize patterns for texture, body shape, and coloration, and compare them to known species. Some tools even factor in location data and habitat context to improve accuracy.

Conservation Impact: More Than Just Identification

Using AI tools isn’t just about convenience; it’s about contributing to global conservation efforts. Every time I identify and upload a species:

  • I help track biodiversity

  • I support scientific research

  • I raise awareness about endangered species

Platforms like Wildbook and EarthRanger also use AI to monitor animal movements and combat poaching.

Bonus Tools Worth Exploring

  • Merlin Bird ID Birds: Photo & sound ID, regional bird packs, offline use. For Birdwatchers.

  • MegaDetector: Open-source AI by Microsoft for detecting animals, humans, and vehicles in camera trap images.

  • Zooniverse (Snapshot Safari): Combines citizen science with AI to validate wildlife images.

  • PAWS: Predicts poaching hotspots using terrain and historical data — used in anti-poaching efforts.

Final Thoughts: Embrace the Tech, Protect the Wild

As a wildlife photographer, I see AI not as a replacement for field knowledge, but as a powerful ally. It helps me work faster, smarter, and with greater impact. Whether you’re a seasoned conservationist or a weekend nature explorer, these tools can elevate your work and deepen your connection to the wild.

So next time you’re unsure about that bird, mammal, or insect in your photo. Let AI lend a hand. You might just discover a new species, contribute to science, or inspire someone to care a little more about our planet.

Ready to try it yourself? Start with iNaturalist or Galaxy AI and see what you uncover. And if you’re already using AI in your wildlife work, I’d love to hear your story. Drop a comment below!

For more blog articles related to wildlife, nature, photography, and traveling, you can visit my blog: Damith Danthanarayana's Blog.

Damith Danthanarayana

I am Damith Danthanarayana, basically a Mechanical Engineer from Sweden.

Photography is my passion but not my profession. Since 2015, nature, wildlife and macro photography has been a major part of my life.

https://www.damithdanthanarayana.com
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