#China #Huawei #Xiamen #AI Initiative #Chinese White Dolphins

Huawei's Innovative AI Solution for Dolphin Conservation

In a remarkable display of technological advancement and environmental stewardship, Huawei, alongside its partners, has announced preliminary results of an innovative AI-based solution designed to study and protect the endangered Chinese white dolphins in the waters of Xiamen Bay, China. This groundbreaking project, which commenced three months ago under Huawei's TECH4ALL initiative, has already yielded significant findings that underscore the potential of artificial intelligence in wildlife conservation.

The project has successfully identified 13 specific dolphins through the analysis of 2,820 photographs and video recordings, achieving an impressive individual identification accuracy of over 90%. Additionally, the system demonstrates an 85% success rate in recognizing complex behavior patterns among the dolphins. Notably, efficiencies in data tagging have seen a remarkable 400% increase, and the response time of law enforcement agencies to speed violations or unauthorized entries into protected areas improved by 65%.

According to Cui Yangyang, Director of the TECH4ALL Program Management Department at Huawei, “The AI-generated analytics assist environmental advocates in formulating targeted protection measures. This supports understanding and addressing the threats faced by this iconic dolphin species, ensuring their survival and prosperity in the wild.”

Chinese white dolphins are nationally protected species categorized as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. Xiamen Bay is home to 51% of China's dolphin population, and significant threats from shipping, fishing, and coastal engineering projects pose immediate risks to their existence. Persistent challenges such as noise pollution, fishing gear entanglement, and habitat degradation jeopardize their long-term survival.

In partnership with the Third Institute of Oceanography under the Ministry of Natural Resources of China and China Mobile, this initiative incorporates a distinctive recognition system that identifies individual dolphins by the unique markings on their dorsal fins. The application of AI has significantly enhanced research efficiency and the accuracy of conservation efforts. Wang Xianyan, head of the marine species conservation research group at the Third Institute of Oceanography, stated, “The AI recognition system provides crucial data on the survival rates, reproductive dynamics, and social interactions of specific individuals, forming an essential foundation for developing conservation strategies.”

By utilizing AI for image preprocessing, analysis, recognition, dorsal fin cropping, data classification, and cloud display, researchers can now maintain individual files for each dolphin, tracking the status of every creature within the population. Longitudinal data collection is vital for devising effective protective measures, allowing researchers to gain insights into dolphin numbers, distribution, age structure, reproductive behaviors, and the threats they encounter.

Historically, manual monitoring proved to be labor-intensive and often resulted in unreliable data, making it challenging to assess population dynamics accurately. Experts from the Third Institute of Oceanography predict that the next 10-15 years will be critical for the growth of the dolphin population. The Chinese white dolphin plays a vital role in coastal marine ecosystems, contributing significantly to the ocean's carbon sequestration capabilities. Their diet consists of fish that consume plankton, which in turn, absorbs CO2 and binds carbon through photosynthesis.

Protecting the dolphin population and preserving the ocean's ecosystem indirectly assists in regulating the carbon cycle through the food web, an effort that is crucial in combating climate change. The AI-enabled network, operating on a 5G-A system with ten base stations, covers an area of 330 square kilometers within the bay, ensuring seamless coverage of key conservation zones.

The integrated data collection and transmission capabilities of the 5G-A network, alongside vessel location data obtained from radars, visual observation terminals, satellites, and an Automatic Identification System (AIS), enable real-time tracking of ship movements within a 20-kilometer radius. This AI-powered system provides swift alerts for boundary violations or speed limit breaches, allowing law enforcement personnel to utilize land-based monitoring tools to verify infractions and promptly locate offending vessels.

So far, investigations into twelve vessels have been initiated due to potential threats posed to the dolphins. Continuous research, combined with AI applications, is gradually unveiling the mysteries surrounding the lives of Chinese white dolphins in Xiamen Bay, fostering hope for their preservation.