Can AI Save Tigers? with Dr. Jeremy S. Dertien
Listen now
Description
Tigers are at risk of extinction around the globe. But in India, hard fought conservation has seen the population double since 2006. While this is fantastic news, it does create new challenges to face: such as how to manage poachers, and negative encounters between tigers and animals kept as livestock, and the people who live in the tigers’ range. Artificial intelligence, matched with innovative trail camera technology may be the answer to not only protecting tigers in India, but other large carnivores around the world. Published in the October 2023 edition of BioScience, 'Mitigating human-wildlife conflict and monitoring endangered tigers using a real-time camera-based alert system' outlines how the new tech (TrailGuard AI by Nightjar) works, and what implications it may have beyond tigers in India. Lead author of this paper Dr. Jeremy S. Dertien joins Defender Radio to share more about his experience working with AI and tigers, how we can see the solution be used in larger context, and what ethical issues need to be considered. SHOW NOTES: Photo of tigress in India by Dr. Jeremy S. Dertien Dr. Jeremy S. Dertien's website: https://www.conservationdertien.com/ BioScience study: https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/73/10/748/7261057 OneEarth coverage: https://www.oneearth.org/breakthrough-monitoring-technology-to-save-the-worlds-tigers/ TIME magazine calls TrailGuard AI one of the best inventions of 2023: https://time.com/collection/best-inventions-2023/6327141/trailguard-ai/ NGO Resolve and TrailGuard AI: https://www.resolve.ngo/trailguard.htm Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio? Reach out to us at [email protected], by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio).  Defender Radio is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree). 
More Episodes
We’re releasing this episode in time for International Rabbit Day – a celebration of our favourite floppy-eared lagomorphs. While rabbits do make wonderful companions, they are frequently released or dumped in the wild – and with an exceptionally quick gestation period, that can lead to a lot of...
Published 09/27/24
Published 09/27/24
Finding community is an important part of being an advocate – and in a post pandemic world, that can be a struggle. Fortunately, opportunities like Humane Canada’s Summit for Animals bring together hundreds of likeminded people, sharing resources, ideas, and finding hope together. The 2025...
Published 09/16/24