AI Algorithm Helps Rescue an Almost Extinct Pigeon Species, Locate the ‘Little Dodo’s’ Call
Conservationists worldwide have been trying to reinvigorate many species. For this purpose, several masterful tools have been developed, like the bioacoustics technology by The Colossal Foundation and Samoa Conservation Society, stated IFL Science. This technology will reportedly be used to detect the tooth-billed pigeon. Findings regarding this technology have been published in arXiv.
The tooth-billed pigeon, also known as manumea or the 'little dodo,' has long been considered to be a 'lost' species by experts. The last time the species was captured on camera was back in 2013. Researchers have again detected a specimen in the wild and hope that they can recover the group using the latest amenities.
The Colossal Foundation's AI team has developed a customized machine learning algorithm that can detect the calls of the critically endangered tooth-billed pigeon (Didunculus strigirostris), according to Business Wire. The bird is known worldwide for its distinct red beak alongside tooth-like projections. As per the team of experts associated with the project, the technology is 95% accurate in its detection. IUCN SSC Pigeon and Dove Specialist Group and BirdLife International have also participated in the project, which has confirmed the bird's presence in Samoa.
The software for the machine learning algorithm was created out of five minutes of manumea audio recordings. The plan is for officials from the Samoa Conservation Society to upload raw forest soundscapes from the wilderness and then upload them into the algorithm. The AI tool will filter out the calls made by Manumea, and thereafter, the researchers will pinpoint the location from which these calls are coming. Officials will be sent to explore the area and capture the specimens for biobanking purposes.
Researchers want to sample the animal, process its tissues, culture their cells, and then freeze them for preservation, according to IFL Science. The preserved cells will be stored in the biobank and cared for by the experts. The cells will only be provided to researchers who need them for their study or taken out if they need to undergo cloning. "We may choose to clone a sample from our biobank because we are looking to create a recovery population of a critically endangered species that needs fresh genetics injected back into the population, or because a species went extinct in the wild and we need to establish a captive recovery program,” Colossal’s Chief Animal Officer Matt James shared.
Experts are hopeful that the project's results will aid the team in understanding if they can establish a captive breeding program for the tooth-billed pigeon to prevent their extinction, according to Business Wire. Researchers think that the technology can be applied in the case of other bird populations as well. This algorithm has now been open-sourced so that conservationists can also use it for the benefit of other endangered species.
The project is keen on saving tooth-billed pigeons because they are integral to Samoa's ecosystem and biodiversity. Manumea is an important seed dispenser in the wilderness and hence is essential for the sustenance of native forests in Samoa. Other birds can't take up this species' duties, because there are certain seeds which can only be spread around by the 'little dodo.' Manumea, being Samoa's national bird, is also essential for the island's cultural heritage.