AI Guards Birds on an Island in Russia’s Primorye Region
In Peter the Great Bay in the Sea of Japan lies a protected area established nearly half a century ago. The Far Eastern Marine Reserve was created to preserve the region’s unique marine and island ecosystems. Today it is home to more than 5,000 species of plants and animals.
Even the most vigilant inspectors cannot physically monitor a reserve that covers more than 64,000 hectares. Artificial intelligence is now helping safeguard this biodiversity.
Advanced Technology for the Southernmost Outpost
Furugelm Island, managed by Zemlya Leoparda National Park (Land of the Leopard), is the main nesting site for the endangered spoon-billed sandpiper known in Russia as the malaya kolpitsa (black-faced spoonbill). Only about 2,000 individuals remain worldwide. The species is listed in the International Red List and is considered at risk of extinction. The island also hosts colonies of Chinese pond herons and the world’s largest breeding colony of black-tailed gulls. To protect these growing bird populations, Russia has deployed an advanced video monitoring system on the island.
The monitoring devices provide a 360-degree view and scan coastal waters and shorelines within a three-kilometer radius. Powered autonomously by solar panels and equipped with intelligent communication modems, the system operates around the clock without requiring human presence. Most importantly, it incorporates neural networks capable of analyzing visual data and recognizing different objects. If a person or vessel appears in the camera’s field of view, the system identifies a potential threat and immediately sends an alert to reserve inspectors.
Smart and Secure Nature Parks
Artificial intelligence first appeared in Zemlya Leoparda several years ago. The park now operates the largest wildlife photo-monitoring network in Russia, with more than 450 camera traps. Some of them already function in real time online. Scientists can track the movements of leopards, tigers, bears and smaller predators, as well as detect new individuals entering the area. The system also helps authorities respond more quickly to threats, whether from poachers inside the park or from forest fires. By 2030, Zemlya Leoparda plans to build a comprehensive digital monitoring ecosystem integrating satellite telemetry, online sensor networks, automated AI analysis and rapid alert systems.
The initiative began with a neural network designed to process images from camera traps and automatically detect animals. Previously, biologists spent months manually reviewing such photographs. One of the first intelligent programs was developed by researchers from MFTI together with Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources. Some animals, however, prefer nocturnal lifestyles and rarely appear clearly on camera. Wolves are a good example. Their howls echo across the forest, but they are difficult to observe visually. A neural network created by researchers from Sber and two institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences analyzes these sounds to estimate the size of wolf packs and identify new habitats.
Protecting Fragile Ecosystems
The project on Furugelm Island strengthens protection of fragile ecosystems. Poaching, once difficult to control because of the reserve’s long coastline, can now be detected through this digital monitoring network. Video streams from the cameras may also support a new format of ecological tourism. Plans are already being discussed to broadcast live footage of bird colonies to visitors. Soon, watching a rare spoonbill perform its mating dance or seeing the first steps of black-tailed gull chicks may be possible simply by visiting the reserve’s visitor center.
In the future, Russia may create a unified digital platform for monitoring all specially protected natural areas in the country. Data from thousands of cameras, drones and satellites could flow into a single analytical center.
Neural networks working in real time will not only detect poaching but also forecast risks, analyze animal migration routes and monitor population changes. Similar systems could eventually operate across a wide range of ecosystems – from Arctic tundra and remote taiga forests to protected marine zones.
