Having AI do the dirty work

Cassowary scats hold a wealth of ecological data, showing what cassowaries eat, where they travel and which species are thriving. That data was scattered and underused, hard to share across researchers and the community.

We turned the samples into a science-communication tool: a digital cataloguing system to log, label and visualise data from samples collected by locals, and the interactive “Wall of Poo”, an exhibit that brings together ecology, technology and a sense of humour to make the data memorable.

The project created a growing open dataset of seed-dispersal evidence, boosted public engagement in cassowary ecology, laid foundations for future biodiversity-credit verification, and turned niche data into a story schools and scientists can use.