How AI can save Earth’s Biodiversity
Using Deep Learning for detection, classification, and action
Our planet is in the midst of its sixth mass extinction, the worst one since dinosaurs roamed the earth, 65 million years ago. Every 14 minutes, an elephant is killed in Africa, while a Rhino is slaughtered every 11 hours. Over 14,000 species in the US are listed as endangered, many of which have been around for millions of years. The responsibility for this crisis lies with us, humans. It is because of countless direct and indirect human actions, such as poaching, overpopulation, habitat destruction and climate change, that our planet’s rich biodiversity is taking such a huge hit.
“We know that species are becoming extinct at a rapid pace — at least 1,000 times more quickly than would be expected in the absence of human activities.” — Lucas Joppa, Chief Environmental Officer at Microsoft.
Technology: friend or foe?
Environmentalists are facing insurmountable odds as poachers resort to the latest technology in night-vision goggles, military grade weaponry, and sophisticated transportation. Thankfully, it’s the state-of-art technology that’s also…
