Technology can solve one of the most urgent challenges in areas where nature meets inhabited centers and busy roads: the peaceful coexistence between humans and wild animals? In a world where fauna is increasingly threatened by anthropic activities and climate change, technological innovation can become a fundamental resource for the protection of biodiversity and the safeguarding of species at risk. A revolutionary example that we hope will be able to spread in other territories too, is represented by the project Wadas (Wild Animal Detection and Alert System) developed within the Abruzzo National Park, Lazio and Molise which shows how artificial intelligence can be put at the service of nature and save many lives, especially those of species at risk such as the wolf or theMarsican bear.
How the idea of Wadas was born
Developed thanks to an exceptional partnership between the Abruzzo National Park, Lazio and Molise, the University of L’Aquila and the Association we save the bear, with the technological collaboration of giants such as Intel And Reolinkthis innovative monitoring system was born from the Abruzzo mind of Stefano Dell’Auawhich has a deep bond with its land and engineering training.
Stefano, who grew up in contact with nature and Abruzzo parks, has always had the safeguard of animals at heart. But its motivation has become even stronger after the series of tragic events that involved two of the best known and loved bears: Juan Carrito And Belovedwhich, as you will remember, have lost their lives in accidents related to human presence. These episodes, widely discussed on social media, have highlighted the dangerous coexistence between animals and the anthropization of mountain areas.
I saw those bears become real ‘stars’ on social media “, STEFANO says during the press conference to present the project that was held yesterday, April 15 at the park headquarters in Villetta Barrea – but when fame becomes a danger, when the creatures get closer and more closer to human beings looking for food, the situation becomes tragic
With the heart shaken by these episodes, Stefano felt the need to act concretely: so, as an engineer and technology enthusiast, he thought of an innovative solution, something that could integrate the protection of fauna with the potential offered by artificial intelligence.
How does Wadas work?
But what is and how exactly Wadas works? The system uses specials Reolink Go Ranger PT cameraspositioned in strategic points inside the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, to detect the presence of wild animals. These cameras capable of shooting 360 °, resistant to all climatic conditions, even the most extreme, and equipped with a non -invasive night vision (invisible to men and animals), capture clear images also in the dark, thus guaranteeing the tranquility of the monitored wildlife. Also being powered by a solar panel They allow you to work in overness, without the need for sockets or replace the batteries.
And it is here that artificial intelligence enters: the captured images are developed by an open source software. The interesting part is that it is not necessary to connect to a remote server: the system works completely on site, thanks to Powerful Intel Core Ultra Series 200V processorswhich allow the local processing of the images. This means that the system is faster, safer and more efficient from an energy point of view. Not only that: the powerful Ai is able to classify the animal based on the species and to send notifications in real time to the operators (currently at the University of L’Aquila) to warn them of the presence of an animal in danger or of a risky situation.
This approach allows you to intervene before accidents happen – explains Stefano – imagine if, thanks to Wadas, we can turn on a light signal on a road just when a bear approaches, thus avoiding a fatal accident for him and for those who are traveling.
As Stefano Orlandini, president of Salva il Bear, also cares to clarify:
We are proud to have promoted Wadas, a project that arises from the intuition and perseverance of one of our partners and that is in line with the attention that we have always dedicated to mitigation of the risk of road investment of the large fauna. The latter is, in fact, one of the first causes of mortality for the Marsican brown bear, as well as a constant danger for motorists, as demonstrated by the frequent accidents that occurred in recent years and which involve various wild species
Road accidents represent, in fact, one of the first causes of mortality for the Marsican brown bear, as well as a constant danger for motorists, as demonstrated by frequent accidents that occurred in recent years and which involve various wild species.
Thanks to the possibility of developing remote devices, such as road signals with light indicators and/or display, feeders equipped with motorized opening/closing mechanisms, Wadas could revolutionize the protection of wildlife not only by counteracting accidents in correspondence with roads and railways, but also avoiding potential episodes of conflict by dissuading the animals from approaching too much to human settlements and thus creating a safer environment for everyone and a more serene climate from the breeders.
Because saving the Marsican bear is a national priority
THE’Marsican brown bearwho lives mainly in the heart of the Apennines, is classified as “in an extinction critical danger” by IUCN, the international union for the conservation of nature. Despite the efforts of local institutions and associations, among which we save the bear, the number of left specimens, about 60is still too small to guarantee a stable future for this species. There are still no clear signs of a decisive turnaround, and the Marsican bear risks definitively disappearing if more effective measures are not taken.
As underlined by the Association, save the bear, the protection of the bear is much more than a local battle: it is a cultural emergency that involves the entire country:
Ensuring a future for the bear in Central Italy today has the same value and the same profound meaning that the conservation of a unique archaeological site in the world has for Italy, such as that of Pompeii – they say – its survival is a symbol of Italy’s ability to protect not only its natural heritage, but also its cultural identity. The struggle for its protection must be supported by a collective awareness, which recognizes the essential value of biodiversity for our future.
A virtuous synergy
Wadas’s real strength, therefore, is not only in technology, but also in the union of forces between local associations, universities and global companies such as Intel and Reolink:
Monitor wild animals with technology means really protecting them, also minimizing human disorder – he added Luciano Sammarone, director of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park – No less important is the collaboration between public bodies, universities, associations and private companies: a virtuous synergy that allows to field the best skills and technologies available, thus making the concrete conservation of biodiversity and the safeguard of local ecosystems possible.
The project has already benefited: with an accuracy in the Survey that touches 97.4%, Wadas He is showing that he is a reliable and useful system for the protection of wild animals and promises to become a replicable model also in other areas of Italy and the world, showing that living with nature, thanks to the help of technology, is really possible.
After all, as President Sammarone said well: “Where the bear is fine, the other animals are also good, we humans including “.
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