Applying conservation technology to wildlife research and monitoring

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The conservation of nature is of global importance and scientists are responsible for monitoring changes in nature, from wildlife populations to landscapes. Tasked with this huge challenge, biologists are turning to new technologies to provide tools that aid in the collection and analysis of data required to better understand wildlife and monitor trends. Recent developments in the field of conservation technology focus on addressing these needs. Biologists are now working alongside computer scientists and engineers to develop and implement ecologically-focused technology. This project aims to use conservation technology to generate knowledge that can be used in species and landscape management and conservation. We previously used machine learning to develop software that identifies individual grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in images using facial recognition. We now aim to apply this software by advancing its development to include remote camera footage. To achieve this, we will partner with Indigenous Guardians and an ecotourism operator and participate in collaborative science to further develop and apply our technology. Wildlife monitoring programs that combine multiple knowledge-based systems could improve the management and conservation of wild species and places. This research is important as decision-makers need data on wildlife to inform management. However, monitoring wildlife is time-consuming and expensive. With the world's biodiversity under threat, data need to be analysed quickly yet accurately, so that evidence-based decisions can be made. Our research and software tool will provide a replicable technique and general approach that can be applied to other species in Canada and beyond. Results of this research will inform species and landscape planning in the southern Great Bear Rainforest -- the largest tract of connected temperate rainforest left on the planet, and therefore of national and international significance. This area is a stronghold for grizzly bears, a species of special concern in Canada. The software that we have developed and are proposing to apply and enhance is open access and open source, allowing use by all Canadians, from research scientists to all levels of government to nature enthusiasts.