Kazakhstan has launched an innovative project to study and protect snow leopards supported by a new neural navigation network, Yandex Qazaqstan.
The network, developed with Kazakh-British Technical University students, scientists from the Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Snow Leopard Foundation, will significantly accelerate and simplify data analysis from camera traps and other sources, enabling a more effective means of tracking these rare animals’ behavior and migration routes.
The snow leopard, a symbol of Kazakhstan’s mountain ecosystems, is found in regions such as Altai, Zhetysu Alatau, Saur, and Tien Shan.
Although Kazakhstan’s leopard population has doubled over the past 30 years, to between 141-183, their existence remains under threat from human activities and climate change, making conservation projects essential.
Yandex Qazaqstan will help optimize the monitoring of snow leopards by automatically analyzing images from camera traps and quickly identifying the presence of the animals. As a result, scientists will be able to more accurately and quickly track changes in these rare predators’ populations and migration routes.
This collaboration between scientists, students, and IT specialists demonstrates Kazakhstan’s commitment to protecting its nature and sustainable development and moreover, provide a template for the application of similar technologies in other conservation projects.
