New High-Tech Camera Protects Wildlife From Poachers In Real-Time

The wildlife in Gabon, Africa, have a new high-tech protector watching over them and keeping them safe from poachers: an artificially-intelligent camera.

 
The University of Stirling and a Dutch tech start-up, Hack the Planet, developed this genuinely intuitive device that can understand the images it captures.

 
Five AI camera systems have been set up in the Gabonese rainforest, each trained to recognize different species of animals, as well as humans. The technology can analyze what it has captured and process what the animal is doing. In that sense, it can differentiate between creatures lounging around, fighting among themselves, and, most importantly, altercations they may encounter with humans.

That last point is what will potentially save endangered species from falling into the hands of poachers. Once the cameras pick up on what is happening, the guards will be alerted to aid the animals.

 On its initial trial, the system took over 800 pictures over 72 days. From this, 217 photos were of elephants which put the system’s accuracy of recognizing the species at 82%. Rangers were also alerted within an average of seven minutes after the device had completed its analysis.
 
In such situations, one can see how much of a boon AI models can be to the wider community. Elephants, in particular, are still at the mercy of poachers despite a worldwide ban on ivory. And with a sobering number of 40,000 elephants left in the wild, these AI cameras could be crucial in their continued survival.
 
 
 
[via DIY Photography and Physics.org, Photo 6497299 © Roy Mattappallil Thomas | Dreamstime.com]