animal with a familiar face

Admittedly, electronic tags have been used for a long time to track an animal and analyze its movements and, as a result, some of its behaviours. Aerial monitoring is also possible. However, note Smithsonian MagazineThese methods are invasive and can be expensive.

However, in recent times, facial recognition software has actually made it easier to identify specific animals. For example, file BearID Project Analyze the bear’s face. subordinate Oxford Scholars She has also developed programs to identify chimpanzees in their environment.

So American biologists took inspiration from him … seals. After training the program for two years using 2,000 images, they claimed it can now recognize a seal with 85% accuracy.

In the first evaluation Using their SEALNET software, the researchers claim to be able to better understand the seals’ habits and social dynamics. For example, they identified four seals basking in one location and then spotted them in other locations.

However, the program still struggles to distinguish a “face” from a rock or other part of anatomy every time. But for individual countries wishing to track the evolution of local seal populations, it is a tool that could prove invaluable.