AI for Martens

Photo: Tom Cottrell

Like many people, I admittedly feel mixed about Artificial Intelligence. I figure we have enough trouble managing our own biological brainpower! But I’m excited about a project Woodland Park Zoo is exploring with the Microsoft AI for Good Lab, which will hopefully benefit our work to conserve Olympic martens.

The zoo is pilot-testing a wildlife camera system with built-in AI. Called SPARROW, the solar-powered system collects visual (and acoustic) data from sensors and then transmits these data to the cloud via satellite in real time.

How might this new tool help us help the rare Olympic marten? Click the link below to read Deborah Bach’s article , “Could AI help save one of the Pacific Northwest’s most vulnerable animals,” which includes quotes from me and two of my zoo colleagues.