In the remote mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan, a new AI-powered system is offering hope for the endangered snow leopards. These majestic animals, known for their shy and elusive nature, are facing serious threats in the wild. Every year, between 221 and 450 snow leopards are killed in Pakistan, mostly due to retaliation by farmers who lose livestock. Despite laws to protect them, the snow leopard population has dropped significantly, with only about 300 remaining in Pakistan.

To address this, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) have partnered to set up AI-enabled cameras in snow leopard habitats. These cameras, powered by solar energy, can detect snow leopards and send text alerts to nearby villagers. When a snow leopard is spotted, the villagers are warned in time to move their livestock and prevent attacks. The AI technology can even distinguish between people, animals, and snow leopards, ensuring that only relevant alerts are sent.

While the system is still being perfected, it has already shown promise. There were challenges, like ensuring the cameras could survive the cold winters and dealing with occasional technical issues like damaged wires or poor network signals. But, despite these hurdles, the cameras have captured important images of snow leopards marking their territory. Community cooperation has been another key part of the project. In some villages, people were initially skeptical or worried about their privacy. However, more people are starting to see the value of protecting snow leopards, as they help control the populations of other animals like ibex and blue sheep, which in turn prevents overgrazing and helps sustain grazing land for livestock.

The WWF plans to continue testing additional ways to protect both the snow leopards and the farmers, such as using sounds, lights, and scents to deter the leopards from attacking livestock. With the support of the community and the help of technology, there is hope that the snow leopard population can be preserved for future generations.