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Adélie penguins can be indicators of environmental variations. Studying them in their natural environment makes it possible to monitor the impact of climate change on Antarctica, a region that is notoriously difficult for scientists to observe. But this has been made easier thanks to artificial intelligence, according to a study published in the journal PLOS One .
Researchers at Stony Brook University in New York have come up with an ingenious way of tracking the evolution of Adélie penguin colonies in Antarctica, without having to go there. They use the Segment Anything Model, a computer vision model designed by Meta. It enables them to analyse photos taken by tourists and scientists in this remote part of the world.
This tool, designed for segmenting objects in images, can identify one or more penguins in a matter of seconds, something it would take a minimum of one to two minutes to do otherwise, the researchers explain in their paper. But that's not the only advantage of this model. Thanks to this tool, the research team was able to transform photos taken in Antarctica into a 3D digital model of the Antarctic ice pack, showing the location of each penguin photographed.
This allows the researchers to track the evolution of these seabirds and their natural habitat, as the breeding cycle and feeding habits of Adélie penguins are closely linked to the state of sea ice in the Antarctic. This new analysis method could considerably facilitate scientists' work in studying Antarctica and all its unique natural ecosystems. “Right now, everyone has a camera in their pocket, and so the sheer volume of data being collected around the world is incredible,” study coauthor Heather Lynch told New Scientist magazine.
But this approach also raises ethical questions, since it is based on pictures of penguins taken by tourists and other visitors. Indeed, Antarctica has become a new tourist destination. According to the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators, more than 120,000 tourists visited this uninhabited region in 2023-2024.
However, their growing presence poses risks for this environmentally fragile continent. Companies offering trips to these far-flung regions are taking steps to limit their impact, but the scientific community has yet to be convinced. – AFP Relaxnews.
