Habitat suitability models are valuable for making predictions on the distribution of wildlife. This approach is especially useful for species threatened by habitat loss, or landscape change – often driven by human development. Yet all too often, such information is not easily accessible to conservation practitioners.
To address this situation, a WildCRU team led by PhD students, designed WildMAPS – an open-source web-app that collates and stores published habitat suitability models. This enables conservation practitioners to use the most up to date data and spatial predictions for the species they study through an easy dashboard.
WildMAPS’ creators hope that these maps will support landscape planners and other stakeholders around the world to develop quantitative approaches to conservation planning based on scientific evidence.
