AI Technology leveraged to save Australia’s rare animal species
Today is Wild Koala Day! So we thought we take the opportunity to share about various initiatives being undertaken to protect the koala population, and other rare animal species in Australia. Scientists are experimenting with several hi-tech solutions including vaccine implants, probiotics, tree-planting drones and solar-powered tracking tags to safeguard these animals from threats such as vehicle collisions and bushfires.
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy has also trained an AI model to identify 44 species from camera-trap images, including native animals like kangaroos and dingoes, and invasive ones like cats and foxes. The technology can be used to keep an eye on these animals and alert researchers of their activities. One of Australia’s largest-ever remote sensor camera projects, the Eyes on Recovery program led by the World Wildlife Fund, is using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze millions of wildlife photos from regions devastated by recent catastrophic bushfires. The project has placed WWF as a finalist in the Government, Education and Not-for-Profit section of the AFR BOSS Most Innovative awards.
A collaboration between WWF, Conservation International, and local land managers and research organizations, with the support of Google, the project uses powerful artificial intelligence tools to sort through the remote cameras’ images, assist with species recognition and track wildlife recovery. The Currumbin Wildlife Hospital in Queensland, Australia, is a place where many wild animals are treated for injuries. Several koalas were convalescing in open-air enclosures when the article was written. The hospital has witnessed a fourfold increase in the number of koalas admitted since 2010, admitting more than 400 koalas in 2023 alone.
Another example are the quokkas of Rottnest Island hop about and raise their babies in pouches – just like mini kangaroos. They have chubby cheeks, pointy ears, big brown eyes, and tiny mouths that always seem to smile. As far as furry little critters go, they have real star power. But being super-cute doesn’t mean being safe. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (ICUN) has classified the quokka as “vulnerable” on its Red List of 28,000 species threatened with extinction. Scientists want to know more about these animals and are turning to digital technologies to help find out.
