One Planet News: Drones and AI to be used to protect UK seals
Grey seals to benefit from improved monitoring and protection
By Annette J Beveridge
The UK is a crucial breeding ground for grey seals hosting 35% of the global population and although the population numbers are much better today with more than 160,000 seals, monitoring remains essential for protection purposes.
At one time, grey seal numbers dropped to just 500 seals but manually monitoring seals without disrupting them too much was an issue. Now drones fitted with high-resolution cameras can capture imagery from 110 meters above, minimising disturbance to the seals.
Earth Observation Higher Data Scientist at Natural England, Gabriella Fasoli, said: “The AI model detected over 8,500 seals while the volunteers on the ground counted 6,200. This difference is likely due to the drone’s aerial perspective, which provides a unique viewpoint from above, allowing for a more accurate count by detecting seals that may be hidden or less visible from the ground.”
These new monitoring methods will be invaluable but will not replace volunteers on the ground who will still need to document findings and be there for protection.
Senior Marine Mammal Specialist at Natural England, Emma Milner, said: “This project has shown that drones and the use of AI technology can be a cost and time-efficient alternative method of monitoring seal populations.
“This cutting-edge technology will help contribute to a comprehensive national picture of seal populations, allowing us to better understand population changes over time and to assess the impact of human activity on these crucial habitats, enabling better conservation efforts.
“It is our hope that in the future, the methods from this two-year pilot project can be developed to allow drone surveys at other important sites around the country, and for other species as well as grey seals.”
Natural England has special permission to fly drones for the purpose of this scientific survey and follows the appropriate best practice guidelines to minimise disturbance to the seals.
Note: Members of the public should not fly drones over seal colonies without the required permissions.
AI analysis of drone images. Credits: Natural England