AI boosts bird conservation at China's largest freshwater lake

NANCHANG -- Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, has launched an intelligent management platform backed by artificial intelligence (AI) technology to boost bird conservation.

"With the assistance of AI technology, we can instantly identify bird species and accurately calculate the density and quantity of bird flocks," said Sun Yue, who works at the Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve Administration in East China's Jiangxi province.

Through data analysis, the reserve can allocate patrol personnel efficiently and launch timely interventions in response to anomalies such as food shortages, Sun said.

There are now 30 surveillance cameras throughout the Poyang Lake nature reserve.

In late February, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration issued an action plan for the 2021-2035 period, designating 1,140 areas, including the Poyang Lake, as major locations for the resting, breeding and wintering of migratory birds.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds such as cranes, oriental storks and small swans flock to the lake, and the number can reach approximately 800,000 at peak times.