Green AI protects HK wildlife

June 9, 2019

Healthy behaviour:

The great egrets put on a display with their back feathers and patches on their faces show a bright shade of green during breeding season between March and August. (Courtesy of interviewees)

Weatherproof gear:

High definition AI 360-degree cameras monitor birds under different weather conditions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (Courtesy of interviewees)

Closer look:

The egrets’ unique behaviour is captured by the high definition AI cameras. (Courtesy of interviewees)

Wildlife protection:

Drainage Services Department Engineer Carol Yip (left) says the data from the department’s collaboration with HKUST can be used to protect the birds when the Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works relocation starts.

Download Video| Transcript

Voiceover:
The period between March and August is the breeding season for egrets. During those months, these long-legged birds can be easily spotted around Shing Mun River and Tolo Harbour.

But it is not easy to tell the difference between great egrets and little egrets.

Last June, the Drainage Services Department began collaborating with the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology to use state of the art green artificial intelligence technology to monitor the birds.

High definition AI 360-degree cameras were installed at the Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works and nearby Penfold Park, which are close to the bird’s nesting area.

With 4K resolution, the AI system can distinguish different types of egrets with more than 90% accuracy as well as count the number of birds.

Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Associate Head Prof Wang Yu-Hsing:
We train the model. We tell the model this is a great egret. We also use artificial birds. Because the background is also important. When they see the birds with the blue sky, they know this is a little egret or a great egret. Once they are hiding behind the leaves, we also tell them this is a little egret or great egret.
The traditional way, we have experts using binoculars to watch the birds at certain times or periods. Now, we can put the camera up. It can be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Under different weather conditions, we can do the bird watching. Eventually, this data will be very useful for the experts; they have more data to analyse.

Voiceover:
The collaboration looks into ways to help protect the birds as the department plans to relocate the treatment works facility.

Drainage Services Department Engineer Carol Yip (Translation):
The treatment works is located on the egrets’ flight path. We want to know more about them, for example, when they fly to find food, or what time they go back to their nests. This way, we can make better plans for when the relocation starts. Works that are less noisy can be arranged for times when they are resting nearby.

Voiceover:
The department will analyse data gathered from the Green Artificial Intelligence Pilot Study, which has been running for a year, with bird experts.

Big data and AI technologies will also be used to analyse sounds and vibrations in the area to further protect the environment.

The period between March and August is the breeding season for egrets. During those months, residents can easily spot these long-legged birds around Shing Mun River and Tolo Harbour.

The Drainage Services Department is planning to relocate the Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works, an environmental assessment conducted by the department found the birds mainly live in Penfold Park, which is near the facility.

Green innovation

To reduce disturbance to the egretery during the relocation, the department began collaborating with the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology to use state-of-the-art green artificial intelligence technology to learn more about the birds last June.

The university’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Associate Head Prof Wang Yu-Hsing and his team were behind the design and manufacturing of a high-tech camera system.

His team installed 4K 360-degree cameras at the treatment works and nearby Penfold Park.

The AI system can distinguish different types of egrets with more than 90% accuracy as well as count the number of birds.

Prof Wang said they taught the AI system to recognise the different types of egrets in different environments.

“When they see the birds with the blue sky, they know this is a little egret or a great egret. Once they are hiding behind the leaves, we also tell them this is a little egret or great egret.”

He noted the system is a vast improvement from when experts used binoculars to watch the birds during specific periods of the day.

“Now, we can put the camera up. It can be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Prof Wang added the system can monitor the birds in inclement weather and that the data will be beneficial for experts.

Safe habitat

Drainage Services Department Engineer Carol Yip said the data from the collaboration can be used to protect the birds when the relocation takes place.

“The treatment works is located on the egrets’ flight path. We want to know more about them, for example, when they fly to find food, or what time they go back to their nests.

“This way, we can make better plans for when the relocation starts. Works that are less noisy can be arranged for times when they are resting nearby.”

The department will analyse data gathered from the Green Artificial Intelligence Pilot Study, which has been running for a year, with bird experts.

Big data and AI technologies will also be used to analyse sounds and vibrations in the area to further protect the environment.