How to use WomSAT
WomSAT is a citizen science tool that individuals can use to map wombat sightings
Why doesn’t my photograph automatically appear on the website?
Photos need to be approved prior to being uploaded to the website. It may take a few days for it to be approved and be added to the photo albums.
What do you do when there is no internet available and I want to log a wombat sighting?
Initially mobile phone compass applications were used to record GPS coordinates. Alternatively, GPS coordinates were recorded manually or a screen shot taken of the compass on the phone, prior to the entry being added to WomSAT when internet becomes available.
However, the GPS coordinates are now recorded as part of the metadata when a photograph is taken using a smart phone, so a photograph taken on a smart phone can be uploaded to WomSAT when the user comes back into internet range and the GPS coordinates will automatically be loaded into the entry.
When using an iPhone, ensure your photograph setting chosen is .jpg and not .hec to ensure the GPS coordinates are recorded as part of the metadata.
If all else fails, please contact the WomSAT team and they can enter the sighting for you.
Why can’t I use the app all the time?
At present the app is a mobile website app, which relies on full internet access to function. However, if you see a wombat or burrow and want to log it you can record the GPS location (using a GPS), or note its location, and then enter it later into WomSAT when you get back into an area with internet coverage using your phone or via the webpage on a computer.
The GPS coordinates are now recorded as part of the metadata when a photograph is taken using a smart phone, so a photograph taken on a smart phone can be uploaded to WomSAT when the user comes back into internet range and the GPS coordinates will automatically be loaded into the entry.
When using an iPhone, ensure your photograph setting chosen is .jpg and not .hec to ensure the GPS coordinates are recorded as part of the metadata.
Also, ensure you have loaded the latest version of the WomSAT app onto your phone.
If all else fails, please contact the WomSAT team and they can enter the sighting for you.
I’m trying to enter the GPS coordinates into WomSAT but it’s in a different format?
WomSAT uses the decimal degrees GPS format. Other types of GPS format are often used, and they can all be converted to the decimal degrees GPS format. If you need assistance with this, please send
WomSAT@outlook.com an email and we can convert them for you or enter the data directly.
I see wombats all the time, so there is no point to logging my sightings of wombats.
While you may see wombats every day, not everyone does. The more data we collect about wombats being seen all the time, or never, the better, as it provides evidence of their distribution and abundance, something we realistically have no scientific records of.
WomSAT now has the capacity to record no sightings as well, which is particularly important to understanding where, and where not, wombats are found.
The app and website are too difficult to use
If you would like assistance/training to use the app or website we are able to assist. Please contact
WomSAT@outlook.com to let us know and we can arrange a training session for you.
I don’t have the time to log all my sightings
No problem, send them to us (in any form) and we’ll log them for you! Our email address is:
WomSAT@outlook.com If you have hard copy let us know and we can send you our snail mail address too.
What do I do if I see a mangy wombat?
Contact your local wildlife rescue service and they will be able to offer assistance and/or advice. Some are listed on our webpage under ‘Contacts’ and then ‘Other Organisations’. Never catch or touch a wombat with sarcoptic mange. Wombats are large and aggressive. Humans are often injured by wombats, so never underestimate them. Sarcoptic mange is also transmissible to humans. It is called scabies in humans.
I’ve just accidentally hit a wombat, what do I do?
- If it is safe to do so, check the wombat. If the wombat is still alive, contact your local wildlife rescue service and they will be able to offer assistance and/or advice. Some are listed on our webpage under ‘Contacts’ and then ‘Other Organisations’.
- Do not catch the wombat or go too close to it. Wombats are large aggressive animals. Injured wombats are likely to be even more so aggressive, and have often been known to attack humans.
- Remember humans can contract sarcoptic mange (called scabies in humans), so if the wombat has mange, do not touch it or move it However, if it is safe to do so, and the wombat is dead, move it off the roadside. This will ensure other scavenging animals are not subsequently hit.
- If it is a female, check the pouch. If there is a joey in the pouch, or a young nearby, call your local wildlife rescue service for advice and further information on what to do. Never remove the joey from the pouch without first seeking expert advice.
- Some wildlife rescue organisations are listed on our webpage under ‘Contacts’ and then ‘Other Organisations’, and can be contacted for further advice.
More questions
If you require any assistance of have any other questions please
Contact us