Satellites and AI used to track UK hedgehogs in bid to slow decline

Satellites and AI used to track UK hedgehogs in bid to slow declineJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleZoe KleinmanTechnology editorGetty ImagesResearchers at the University of Cambridge are using satellite data and AI in an effort to slow the decline in Britain's hedgehog population.Using an AI tool called Tessera, which analyses detailed images of the UK gathered from space, experts can precisely determine locations of hedgehog habitats - and where these are disappearing.The resulting maps capture landscapes in minute detail, including down to individual hedgerows, while AI can accurately predict hedgehog-friendly places obscured by cloud cover.Those behind the project hope it will help to shed light not just on where hedgehogs live across the UK, but barriers preventing them from finding food and mates.The researchers say Tessera's outputs can be used to track the impact of new housing developments and other environmental changes on landscapes that could affect hedgehogs over time.Such insights can also be combined with data gathered elsewhere - including tiny GPS trackers physically attached to some hedgehogs to monitor their movements in real time.A similar initiative seeking to protect hedgehogs with "backpack"-like trackers is already underway in Northern Ireland.But it comes as researchers also look to use AI systems and models that can crunch lots of data and surface patterns within it to aid conservation efforts around the world.Some, however, have urged caution around using the power-hungry tech, citing fears about its impact on the environment.What is AI, how does it work and why are some people concerned about it?'Digi-hogs'Hedgehog populations have declined dramatically across Europe in recent decades.And in the UK, a 2022 report estimated their numbers to have fallen by up to 75% in rural areas since 2000.The common western European hedgehog - the UK's only native species, according to the RSPCA - has been lis...