Japan will introduce AI-enabled systems to track bears

Authorities in Japan are launching pilot projects to use artificial intelligence to monitor the presence of bears near populated areas following an increase in wildlife encounters.

Here's What We Know

In Toyama Prefecture, a system that analyses video streams from surveillance cameras to identify areas where wild animals pose a threat will begin operating in a few months. The AI will classify moving objects as bears or other objects.

Cameras from utilities, government environmental monitoring systems and natural disasters will be enlisted for the project. If successful, similar systems could be implemented in other prefectures.

A similar pilot is already underway in Iwate, where 30 cameras along rivers record the appearance of brown bears and alert local residents.

Over the past year, Japan has recorded a record 198 bear attacks, resulting in six deaths. Dwindling natural resources due to climate change and the depopulation of villages are cited as reasons for the increase in incidents.

In 2022, Nagaoka piloted a cloud-based AI system to monitor bear incursions, capable of detecting the animals in 86% of colour and 44% of black-and-white photos. However, it often confused them with other mammals.

Source: The Register