AI-Enhanced Orphan Elephant Reintroduction

Project Details:

Effective reintroduction of orphaned elephants into the wild is vital for conservation, particularly as human-elephant conflicts continue to increase. This project leverages advanced A.I. technology to analyze and compare the behaviors of orphaned and wild elephants, offering critical insights for optimizing reintroduction strategies. The objective is to develop and implement techniques that ensure the smooth integration of orphan elephants into their natural habitats.

In Partnership With

Elephant Havens Wildlife Foundation was founded in 2017 by Debra Stevens, her husband Scott Jackson, and Boaga Poloko to protect and preserve the African elephant. Through habitat protection, community outreach, and the rescue and hand-rearing of young elephant orphans, Elephant Havens aims to become a leading voice in wildlife conservation awareness and wildlife protection. They envision a world in which African elephants and local communities coexist without conflict, and where young elephant orphans are saved and reintroduced into the wild.

The Colossal Foundation has partnered with Elephant Havens Wildlife Foundation, the only elephant orphanage in Botswana, to establish a new model for reintroducing orphan elephants back into the wild. This initiative aims to leverage artificial intelligence (A.I.) to study and compare the behaviors of orphaned and wild elephants, providing insights into elephant social dynamics and informing more effective reintroduction strategies for the species.

Together, The Colossal Foundation and Elephant Havens will deploy machine learning algorithms to analyze video data, allowing for an in-depth study of elephant herd dynamics. This approach is expected to reveal additional behavioral markers, offering a detailed understanding of the physical and social development of orphan elephants. These insights will help establish a better paradigm for reintroducing orphan elephant herds into their natural habitats.

In addition to behavioral analysis, researchers will perform genomic sequencing on all elephants at Elephant Havens to understand population genomics and measure specific traits of interest at established stages of the elephants’ development. By generating a comprehensive dataset, this project will facilitate cross-population comparisons and assist in identifying gene-trait correlations, providing valuable insights into the biology and behavior of elephants.

This partnership not only provides an opportunity to establish a better paradigm for reintroducing elephant herds, but will allow us to build a detailed understanding of elephant calf physical and social development.

Matt James
Executive Director of the Colossal Foundation and Chief Animal Officer at Colossal

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE EFFORT

Genomic Sequencing:

Genomic sequencing assists in monitoring specific traits of interest at various developmental stages for elephants. This facilitates cross-population comparisons and helps identify gene-trait correlations

Machine Learning and A.I.:

Using AI to analyze video data, the project conducts a comparative analysis between the behaviors of orphaned elephants and those observed in wild elephants. This approach provides a detailed understanding of elephant herd dynamics and identifies behavioral markers crucial for effective reintroduction strategies.