According to researchers from the University of Copenhagen, animal sounds combined with artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionize biodiversity monitoring both on land and in aquatic settings. By analyzing wildlife sounds, AI can now identify species more accurately and efficiently than ever before and provide unique insights into animals' behaviors and habitats without disturbing them.

Globally, nature is facing significant challenges. We are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction, where species are being lost at the same rate as when the dinosaurs became extinct. As such, there is a tremendous need to thoroughly monitor wildlife to protect and preserve endangered species.

In a new perspective article published in Science, researchers from the University of Copenhagen's Department of Biology argue that the way forward is to use artificial intelligence and so-called bioacoustics. Bioacoustics, the study of animal sounds, is an effective method for monitoring wildlife.

The research group behind the article has developed an AI method capable of decoding pigs' vocalizations over the past few years. This method can also be used to identify other animals in the wild.

With the help of AI, researchers can analyze massive amounts of sound recordings quickly and achieve more accurate measurements of the status of wildlife populations in ecosystems worldwide.

"The method makes it possible for us to distinguish animal sounds from one another and detect species in densely forested areas or underwater, where cameras, for example, are often impractical," explains Postdoctoral researcher Jeppe H. Rasmussen from the Department of Biology, one of the researchers behind the article.

Species and animal groups

In practice, the monitoring involves deploying self-contained recording devices capable of capturing animal sounds continuously over months or even years. The recordings are then analyzed with AI, using the researchers' algorithm to identify the animals based on their species' specific sounds.

"An algorithm converts the sound clips into 'images' and the AI, which excels at detecting and classifying objects in pictures, can then identify the animal calls of interest. This can then be used to classify species and identify which and how many animals are present without human intervention," explains Jeppe H. Rasmussen.

"This allows us to process large amounts of data quickly and accurately, instead of having a person listen to the recordings and try to distinguish between animal species."

The AI must only be trained to recognize the species one seeks to monitor based on actual recordings. According to Rasmussen, the potential applications are vast. Researchers recently tested the method on birds and frogs in Malaysia with good results.

Monitoring animals

Currently, the researcher is working on several other projects where AI and bioacoustics are combined to monitor animals. Rasmussen is, together with the University of California, using the method to monitor one of the most endangered seal species in the world, the Hawaiian monk seal, of which there are only 1,400 seals left.

The method also helps the researcher monitor the endangered gray seal, which is making a gradual comeback in Danish waters after years of decline. He plans to use the method on Denmark's bat population, which is protected by EU directives.

According to Associate Professor Elodie F. Briefer, this advancement marks the beginning of a new era in nature conservation, where advanced methods are helping us to understand and protect the planet's diverse wildlife.

Phys Org