Intelligent live traps have been set up at the Aschauteiche ponds to further test and develop the AI module of the live traps under real field conditions. On 6 April 2022, the first coypu was caught in the German project areas. The progress in development here has shown that the AI correctly detects coypu and other species and non-target species are not caught.
On the night of 6 April, we had the first capture of a coypu in the project area Aschauteiche. The intelligent live trap, equipped with the AI module with the recognition software, detected a coypu as it entered the trap, activated the closing mechanism, and then sent a message about the catch, including pictures, to the trap supervisors.
Intelligent live trap at the ash ponds
A total of 10 intelligent live traps are currently set up in Lower Saxony, including at the Aschauteiche, an area where not only the invasive species coypu occurs, but also to raccoons and common raccoon dogs, as well as protected species such as the otter.
The image recognition software installed in the back of the traps was able to document rats, mice and raccoons in the trap. Here, the AI module is being further trained to improve the system.
Wildlife cameras that monitor the trap prototypes from the outside and document the presence of animals with the trap provide additional certainty. This allows us to evaluate the functionality of the prototype more precisely.
Below, you can find some pictures of the coypu capture, as well as photos of the raccoons’ nightly ‘forays’ into the traps.
The coypu observed from the photo traps that supervise the intelligent cages.
The KI systems collects photos inside the cage to evaluate which animal should be caught and which are the non-target species.
As soon the KI system has taken the decision to close the trap and catch the coypu, Telegram informs the trappers sending a message with the necessary information and pictures of the catch. Thereafter, the coypu is took out from the catch.
Here an example of a raccoon going out of the cage, which was correctly not caught.
The same raccoon as above, documented by the image recognition software of the trap.
