AI camera platform to help monitor zoo animals' welfare in new Surrey-Marwell Wildlife partnership

An AI-powered camera platform could soon help monitor the health and behaviour of zoo animals overnight, thanks to a new partnership between the University of Surrey and Marwell Wildlife. 

Researchers from Surrey’s Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing (CVSSP) are working closely with Marwell to develop a bespoke AI nocturnal behaviour observation system that interprets video footage and flags unusual behavioural patterns in animals. The three-year project will use AI and machine learning to study animals’ night-time movements, helping zookeepers spot subtle signs of illness or distress that might otherwise go unnoticed.  

The observation platform will initially be tested in the enclosures of giraffes and red river hogs, allowing teams to develop and refine the system across different species. Its purpose is to provide early alerts that will enable zoo staff to intervene sooner and potentially prevent minor health issues from developing into more serious conditions.  

As well as improving welfare, the technology could help zoos better understand how animals interact with their environments, such as how lighting, heating or feeding times influence behaviour. 

Professor Kevin Wells, from the University of Surrey’s Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing, and project lead at Surrey, said: 

“We are delighted to be working with the staff at Marwell on this exciting AI project that will deliver the first AI health and welfare monitoring system focused on zoo animals. Marwell Wildlife has a tremendous track record of putting animal welfare front and centre, and this project will help enhance that work. It’s a great example of how academia and conservation organisations can come together to develop technologies that support conservation efforts.”  

Researchers and zoo staff hope the system could eventually be expanded to monitor other species and deployed in a range of settings, including wildlife parks, conservation sites and livestock monitoring. 

Laura Read, Chief Executive of Marwell Wildlife, said: 

“At Marwell Wildlife, we have always prided ourselves on pushing the boundaries of animal welfare standards that are achievable in a zoo setting. From early adoption of an evidence-based animal welfare assessment framework to the championing of naturally positive life experiences for all the animals in our care, we know that in a modern zoo, thriving animals and habitats are absolutely paramount. 

“That is why we are very excited to be working with the University of Surrey on developing technology that could strengthen animal welfare further, giving us new insights into nocturnal behaviours and highlighting those extra details that can be difficult to spot with the human eye.”  

With more than £344,000 in funding through an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), the project has also taken on a new KTP Associate – a graduate researcher who will work full-time on the project while gaining hands-on experience applying AI and data science in a conservation setting. 

Dr Shona Campbell, Senior Knowledge Transfer Adviser at Innovate UK Business Connect, said:  

“I’m delighted to be supporting this KTP with Marwell Wildlife Trust and University of Surrey. Whilst all KTPs are unique I think we can be confident that no project has previously involved water hogs and giraffes. This project is also notable for deploying research expertise developed in the understanding and detection of human sleep patterns to zoo animals, delivering both academic and business impact.” 

Marwell Wildlife is an international conservation charity dedicated to protecting endangered species and restoring habitats both in the UK and overseas. Based in Hampshire, Marwell Zoo welcomes more than 500,000 visitors each year and engages over 40,000 children and young people through its education programmes. Its conservation biologists also run field projects in the UK and Africa, working with local communities and partner organisations to support wildlife and biodiversity. 

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Notes to editors 

• Professor Kevin Wells and Laura Read are available for interview; please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk to arrange. 

About Innovate UK KTPs 

For 50 years, Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) have brought together forward-thinking businesses and organisations, leading academics, and graduates to solve complex innovation challenges which help our economy, society, and environment. Each collaboration is a three-way partnership between: a business or organisation with an innovative idea or challenge; a UK knowledge base with the expertise to deliver the innovation or solve the challenge; and a graduate who will drive the project forward to delivery. KTPs support talented individuals into high-value employment, enrich academic institutions, and fuel the success and profitability of UK businesses.