Project Description:
Stoats pose a relentless threat to Waiheke Island’s native wildlife, their predatory prowess devastating populations of ground-nesting birds like the dotterel, ōi (grey-faced petrel), and kororā (little blue penguin), and hole-nesting birds such as kākā. These vulnerable species have limited defenses against stoat predation, particularly when rearing young. Recognizing this urgent ecological crisis, the Te Korowai o Waiheke; Towards a Predator Free Waiheke program has prioritized the complete removal of stoats from the island. This project serves as a technological cornerstone in this effort, developing a sophisticated machine learning-driven Stoat Reidentification (ReID) system. Our system tackles real-world challenges like image blur, nighttime photography, and partially obscured animals to accurately identify individual stoats. This critical data empowers conservationists with insights into stoat population dynamics, movement patterns, and the effectiveness of eradication strategies, ultimately safeguarding Waiheke’s cherished birdlife.
This project is carried out in collaboration with TAIAO, Pure Salt NZ and Te Korowai o’Waiheke
Keywords: Animal Re-Identification, Wildlife Protection, Population Monitoring
