Satellites and AI used to track UK hedgehogs in bid to slow decline

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Satellites and AI used to track UK hedgehogs in bid to slow decline2 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleZoe KleinmanTechnology editorGetty ImagesResearchers at the University of Cambridge are using satellite data and AI in an effort to slow the decline in Britain's hedgehog population. Using an AI tool called Tessera, which analyses detailed images of the UK gathered from space, experts can precisely determine locations of hedgehog habitats - and where these are disappearing. The resulting maps capture landscapes in minute detail, including down to individual hedgerows, while AI can accurately predict hedgehog-friendly places obscured by cloud cover.

Those behind the project hope it will help to shed light not just on where hedgehogs live across the UK, but barriers preventing them from finding food and mates. The researchers say Tessera's outputs can be used to track the impact of new housing developments and other environmental changes on landscapes that could affect hedgehogs over time. Such insights can also be combined with data gathered elsewhere - including tiny GPS trackers physically attached to some hedgehogs to monitor their movements in real time.

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A similar initiative seeking to protect hedgehogs with "backpack"-like trackers is already underway in Northern Ireland. But it comes as researchers also look to use AI systems and models that can crunch lots of data and surface patterns within it to aid conservation efforts around the world. Some, however, have urged caution around using the power-hungry tech, citing fears about its impact on the environment.

What is AI, how does it work and why are some people concerned about it? 'Digi-hogs'Hedgehog populations have declined dramatically across Europe in recent decades. And in the UK, a 2022 report estimated their numbers to have fallen by up to 75% in rural areas since 2000.

The common western European hedgehog - the UK's only native species, according to the RSPCA - has been listed as 'Near Threatened' by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. But Prof Silviu Petrovan, strategy and research manager at People's Trust for Endangered Species, says he is optimistic that AI can help protect the tiny mammals. "What we're really hoping is that we can use these really powerful models to understand, for instance, what are the very specific barriers for hedgehogs to find food and find their mates, and be able to safely move around the countryside?

He told the researchers behind the project refer to hedgehogs equipped with trackers as "digi-hogs". To be able to accurately identify the tiny creatures and other objects in image data, the Tessera system had to be trained on vast amounts of data - with around 20 petabytes, or the equivalent of 10 billion standard digital photos, used to build it. After reaching the limits of the computing power allocated to the university, researchers installed additional processors under their desks to keep the process going.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.