Wild Animals in Daily Life

Abstract

Humans have historically low engagement with the natural world. Global urbanization has led people to abandon wildlife-rich landscapes. The current lack of connectedness to nature is known as nature-deficit disorder. However, to encourage sustainable relationships between humans and other animals, technology to reconnect is urgently needed. The natural world is in a dire state; we are in the midst of a Sixth Mass Extinction. Here we propose that a novel information system, including a mobile app and privacy tools, could enable reconnection with the natural world. We propose the combination of real-time tracking data from wild animals and humans. Novel wildlife experiences, integrated into people’s daily lives, may increase the connectedness to nature, which serves as a key factor for pro-environmental behavior. Further benefits are identified in education, philanthropy, health, and entertainment. Finally, we utilize an innovative privacy-preserving architecture to shield wildlife data from criminal intent.