On their official website, the US Embassy has announced that for the first time, the Global Zoohackathon will take place online! This is definetly because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that has led to lockdowns and social distancing to avoid the spread.
Through Zoohackathon, U.S. Embassies work with leading wildlife conservation and technology organizations around the world to organize 48-hour events aimed at developing usable solutions to on-the-ground wildlife trafficking challenges. At the end of the hackathons, teams pitch their ideas to an expert panel of judges. Local winners will receive prizes and winners from regional hackathon are also eligible to compete for the global prize.
The Zoohackathon 2020 will now be broken up into five virtual regional events that span regions of the globe. Over two and a half days, participants competing in the regional Zoohackathons will break up into teams to develop innovative technology solutions to help combat wildlife trafficking.
Each event will emphasize regional wildlife trafficking challenges, including links between wildlife trafficking and zoonotic disease in each region, and will feature locally-focused problem statements, pre-recorded and live video presentations, fun and educational moments, partners and mentors, judges, and prizes.