Wildscreen ARK

ARKive: A Digital Noah’s Ark

ARKive was a groundbreaking online initiative that aimed to create a digital record of the world’s species, with a particular focus on those threatened with extinction. Launched on May 20, 2003, ARKive was the brainchild of Wildscreen, a UK-registered educational charity .

Creation and Development

ARKive was technically developed by Hewlett-Packard as part of the HP Labs’ Digital Media Systems research program . The project received support from leading conservation organizations, including:

• BirdLife International
• Conservation International
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
• United Nations’ World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)
• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Additionally, academic institutions such as the Natural History Museum, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the Smithsonian Institution provided valuable support .

Content and Reach

At its peak, ARKive featured:

• Multimedia fact-files for over 16,000 endangered species
• A collection of over 100,000 high-quality images and videos
• Contributions from over 7,000 wildlife filmmakers, photographers, conservationists, and scientists

The platform attracted over half a million visitors monthly from more than 200 countries .

Educational Impact

ARKive served as a significant educational resource, offering:

• Free, curriculum-linked educational materials
• Engaging content for teachers and students
• A platform to foster appreciation for biodiversity and conservation

Closure and Legacy

Despite its success, ARKive faced financial challenges:

• The website was closed on February 15, 2019, due to funding issues
• Only 85 out of 5.6 million users in 2018 made donations to support the project
• Wildscreen was unable to sustain the costs of maintaining the website

After closure, the complete ARKive collection was securely stored offline for future generations .

Wildscreen ARK: The Next Chapter

In an exciting development, Wildscreen has announced plans to revitalize its online platform:

Wildscreen ARK

• Launched in early 2024
• Aims to be the world’s largest online nature education hub
• Focuses on engaging young people aged 13-18 with nature and conservation

Funding and Development

The new project is supported by:

• The Linbury Trust (primary funder)
• The Garfield Weston Foundation
• The Nisbet Trust

Wildscreen is collaborating with Bath-based software development agency Rocketmakers to develop the ARK prototype .

Goals and Approach

Wildscreen ARK aims to:

• Address the growing disconnection between young people and nature
• Provide comprehensive resources for understanding and appreciating nature
• Empower young individuals to make environmentally conscious choices

The project will initially focus on UK species and content, with plans for expansion based on user feedback and testing.This revival of ARKive’s spirit through Wildscreen ARK represents a continued commitment to nature education and conservation in the digital age.