Balancing Open Access and Ethical Responsibility: The Sensitivity of Sharing Endangered Species Data

Institutional repositories (IRs) play a critical role in facilitating the open sharing and longterm preservation of scientific data, including biodiversity and conservation research. However, when it comes to archiving and disseminating data on endangered species, there are unique ethical challenges that must be addressed, particularly regarding the sensitivity of location data. This presentation will explore the ethical considerations surrounding the sharing of endangered species data, focusing on the potential risks posed by publicly accessible location information. The geographic coordinates of species sightings, habitat data, and breeding sites are often vital to conservation efforts, but they can also be misused, especially in the context of poaching and illegal wildlife trade. Researchers and conservationists face a delicate balance between making data openly available for the advancement of science and protecting the species they aim to conserve. This presentation will examine strategies for mitigating the risks of data misuse, such as anonymizing or aggregating location data, using access controls, and collaborating with stakeholders to ensure ethical data-sharing practices. Drawing on real-world examples from ongoing research in endangered species conservation, this session will provide attendees with practical guidelines for managing sensitive data within IRs. It will also consider the role of IRs in supporting ethical stewardship of environmental and biodiversity data while ensuring that scientific research is not hindered by overly restrictive data access policies. Finally, the session will prompt a broader conversation about how IRs can navigate the complexities of data sensitivity in the context of open science and contribute to responsible, transparent, and secure data-sharing in the conservation community.