#A2Z – AI Saving the “Ghost of the Mountain”

Snow leopards are at risk of becoming an endangered species due to poachers and habitat loss. In 2019, 65 snow leopards were found in Russia, and fortunately their population is stable.

Manually monitoring snow leopards is typically time consuming. Scientists at Snow Leopard Trust set up cameras that cover up to 500 square miles to conduct surveys on the population. Each camera can collect up to 300,000 images.

It takes a lot of time to sift through photos to find captures of leopards. The cameras cannot distinguish between animals. However, Microsoft engineers have developed an artificial intelligence solution to help speed up the identification process. Specifically, the solution utilizes machine learning to classify all the animals in the photos within minutes.

New York State University has also developed a Snow Leopard Grid to conduct surveys. It conducts computer modeling with data from camera traps, genetic analysis, and paw prints that researchers collect from the field. The results help World Wildlife Fund’s ecologists better understand the challenges snow leopards face and better protect their ecosystem.

Microsoft has ran awareness campaigns across social media channels. They gave Snow Leopard Trust an artificial intelligence grant to cover computing and data costs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt9i0vEwl4I

References:

1. World Wildlife- https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/snow-leopard
2. Snow Leopard Trust- https://www.snowleopard.org/how-ai-helps-us-understand-protect-snow-leopards/
3. Microsoft- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/empowering-innovation?activetab=pivot1:primaryr3