May 5, 2021
Imagine if you could watch orangutans all day to observe their
behaviours to better understand their ecological dynamics within a
troop dynamic and in their environment. It would take an abundance
of scientific observation that a field team could not complete due
to the number of resources it would require to complete the study
properly. However, new tools in Artificial Intelligence have made
it possible to not only observe the behaviours through visual
recordings, but it can also log certain behaviours displayed over
time. This type of study can give scientists a better understanding
of animal behaviour.
Dr. Jenna Congdon is a post-doctoral researcher at York University
that is working with the Toronto Zoo to measure the behaviour of
orangutans in their Zoo habitat using Artificial Intelligence tools
that will help to better understand their behaviours, which could
translate into better health and conservation in the wild.