📷 Beyond the Snapshot: How AI Turns Photos into Nature Lessons 🦦
It’s an otter encore! This time, ChatGPT helps analyze otter antics straight from our photographs.
In our last post in the AI Diaries Series, we shared how ChatGPT helped us identify a group of otters on a family trip to Millstream in Dullstroom, South Africa. It turned a simple sighting into a full-on nature study adventure, guiding us through otter identification, behavior patterns, and even territory marking.
Plus, I’ve gotta say, everyone LOVED those otters, so they’re back for an encore!
But what if AI could do more than just identify what we see? What if it could help us uncover even more? That’s what I set out to discover in this next experiment: using AI to analyze wildlife photos.
📸 Beyond Identification: Using AI to Analyze Nature Photography
Garren had taken some incredible otter photos, but I’d held them back from ChatGPT until this point. But now that ChatGPT was leaning into its role as a naturalist specializing in southern African otters, it was time to unleash the photographs.
So, in the same chat window I was using for my previous post, I attached these two photos. To attach images or other files in ChatGPT, click on the + icon to the left of where you’re typing your prompt.
I gave it this prompt:
"Here are the photos we got. Go into tour guide mode and tell me more about what you observe."
Why “tour guide mode”? Because I wanted something more engaging than dry facts. I wanted AI to take me on a guided journey through the scene, pointing out details like an expert naturalist would on a safari.
🏞️ A Guided Tour of the Otters’ World
ChatGPT analyzed my photos with enthusiasm, starting with setting the scene:
"What a fantastic sighting! Let’s go full tour guide mode and break down what we’ve seen in your incredible otter photos."
It went on to describe the habitat:
"You've captured a classic otter hangout—a shallow, vegetated wetland with reeds (Phragmites spp.) and sedges lining the water's edge. These aquatic plants provide cover from predators, nesting spots, and a buffet of small fish, frogs, and invertebrates. A perfect otter paradise!"
I was so excited when I realized that ChatGPT was looking at the photograph holistically—considering the environment around the otters, not just the otters themselves. Already, this was expanding my awareness and highlighting things I should be looking out for.
Then, it pointed out something interesting:
"That rock in the middle of the water? Prime real estate! Otters use rocks like this as lookout points, dining tables (notice the remnants of food?), and even social gathering spots."
I was pretty impressed that it could identify the rock and infer its significance as an otter landmark. And with all of the information it was providing, I really felt like I was becoming an otter specialist myself.
🦦 Meet the Spotted-Necked Otters
By now, we already knew these were Spotted-Necked Otters, but ChatGPT confirmed it through details visible in the photos:
Throat markings – "In the first image, you can see the lighter patches on the throat and chest—a signature trait of the Spotted-Necked Otter."
Sleek, small bodies – "Noticeably smaller and more agile than the bulkier Cape Clawless Otter."
Fully webbed feet with claws – "Perfect for rapid underwater chases after fish, their primary diet."
Wet fur and grooming posture – "One otter is rubbing its face—a key part of waterproofing its fur."
It was really cool to look closely at the photographs to confirm all of the physical characteristics that we’d identified in previous chats.
🔍 Behavior Breakdown: What Are the Otters Doing?
Garren was pleasantly surprised when he went through the photographs he’d got of the otters swimming in the dam. Aren’t these incredible?
I asked ChatGPT:
"Here are some photographs of the otters swimming in the dam. What observations and insights can you give me based on these?"
It broke things down beautifully:
Surface swimming vs. hunting posture – "In the first image, two otters are swimming with only their heads above water—this suggests they’re traveling between feeding spots."
Group communication – "In the second image, multiple otters are clustered together, with one in a raised alert posture. This suggests social interaction or checking for danger."
Feeding behavior – "In the third image, an otter is chewing on prey—likely a fish—based on the positioning of its head and visible food in its mouth."
It went on to interpret these behaviors:
"These otters are skilled hunters, moving confidently in open water. Their behavior suggests a social group, possibly a mother and juveniles or a cooperative hunting unit."
I’m still trying to figure out whether the otter has a fish in its mouth in that third photo. What do you think?
And how about the size of those chompers?! “Boy, what big teeth you have!”
💩 The CSI of Otter Spraint (a.k.a. Otter Poop)
ChatGPT loves to give you homework! At the end of most prompts in this chat, it gave me suggestions for next steps—compiling an observation journal, listening for vocalizations, and… taking note of the presence of otters by looking for their spraint a.k.a poop. So yes… I took up the challenge of the latter!
I walked across the dam wall and soon saw some spraint, snapped a photo on my phone, and uploaded it with this quick prompt:
"Here's a photograph of the spraint on the dam wall."
What followed was Otter CSI. ChatGPT analyzed the spraint:
Location – "Being on the dam wall suggests intentional territory marking."
Color & texture – "Dark with white flecks suggests a diet rich in fish."
Contents – "The white flecks are likely fish bones and scales. If you see orangey-brown fragments, they might be crab shells."
It offered to do a more detailed analysis if I could get some close-ups. I obliged. I was deep into this project now!
I went back to take close-up and wide-angle shots to give AI more context.
When I uploaded them, ChatGPT noted that some spraints were fresh while others were old, indicating an established latrine site used over time. It even challenged me to sniff the spraint—which, for science, I did. AI was a great cheerleader:
You, my friend, are now officially a Spotted-necked Otter detective! And kudos for getting a whiff—you're now part of the elite club of naturalists who can confirm the "jasmine tea meets fish market" scent of otter spraint! 😆
With that in mind, what would you think the otters were doing in this next photograph…?
🪨 Otters on the Rock: What’s With Those Tails?
This is one of my favorites—a few otters standing on the rock with their tails lifted high in the air. It reminds me of how warthogs raise their tails as a visual signal. I was pretty convinced they were “spreading their spraint.” So I asked ChatGPT its opinion:
"I have one more photo of the otters on the rock. Can you tell me more about what you think they're doing? If you're guessing, tell me so."
Notice my directive to tell me if it was guessing. This is one of the ways that you can get ChatGPT to check itself and make it clear to you when it’s giving you a guess, rather than a proven fact. I think when analyzing photographs like this, where you’re capturing just one moment in time, it’s important to make this distinction.1
ChatGPT responded with multiple possible explanations:
Grooming and social bonding – "The otters may be stretching or shaking off excess water. Their positioning suggests a social interaction, possibly reinforcing group cohesion." ✅ Guess Rating: Highly Likely
Scent marking and sprainting – "Otters often use elevated spots for territorial marking. The raised tails could indicate scent-marking behavior." ✅ Guess Rating: Possible, but Needs More Evidence
Play behavior – "If they are juveniles, they could be mock-wrestling, an essential part of developing hunting and survival skills." ✅ Guess Rating: Likely, Especially for Juveniles
Scanning for predators – "If this rock is a lookout point, they may have just finished a meal or a swim and are scanning for danger (like fish eagles or humans).” ✅ Guess Rating: Possible, but Less Likely in This Moment
Because I’d given it the prompt about guessing, it rated its confidence in each guess. I think this is a great way to encourage discussion and some critical thinking with our kids.
🌿 We’ve got so much more!
Garren and I have so many more post ideas lined up for the AI Diaries Series. Our trip away has really got the creative juices flowing and we’re both particularly excited about how AI can enrich our experience of the natural world. We’ve also heard from a few of you that you’d like a “getting started guide” for using AI as a tool for learning and education.
So just to whet your appetite, here are some of the ideas in the pipeline. Let us know which ones you’re particularly excited about in the comments:
A “Getting Started Guide” for using AI as a tool for learning and education.
An “Under the Hood Guide” on AI and LLMs from Garren’s perspective as a software engineer.
Using Claude to get the perfect camera settings for wildlife photography—whether with a pro DSLR or just your phone.
Creating a Fungi Field Guide with ChatGPT and the photo analysis techniques in this post.2
Turning show-and-tell into a Madlib/fill-in-the-blank to shake things up—and, of course, using ChatGPT to create your Madlib.
Movies, books, board games—AI can help with personalized recommendations! And they’re excellent!
And plenty more!3
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I’d love to talk more about these kinds of strategies for keeping AI in check and improving the reliability of the information it serves you.
Oh, did I have fun with this one! 🍄🟫 I have so much to say. And no, Mom and Dad, I was not looking to partake in the blood sport that is mushroom foraging! Photos only.
We also take requests—if you can hum it, we can play it. ;)
Prompting the AI to tell when it is guessing is great. Having it give confidence intervals is great, too. It's such a simple way to solve one of peoples' main complaints about AI.
Fascinating about the otters and great use of AI 👏🏻