The Colossal Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm of Colossal Biosciences, announced a collaboration with the environmental organization Samoa Conservation Society to locate and conserve the Critically Endangered tooth-billed pigeon (Didunculus strigirostris). The Foundation’s AI team both created and provided a custom, advanced machine learning algorithm capable of detecting the unique calls of this Critically Endangered species, one of the dodo’s closest living relatives, with 95% accuracy.
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The Colossal Foundation and Samoa Conservation Society join forces to locate the critically endangered tooth-billed pigeon using cutting-edge bioacoustic technology.
The tooth-billed pigeon, also known as the ”little dodo” or manumea, is endemic to Samoa, a small island in the South Pacific. Once numbering between 4,000-7,000 in the 1980s, the bird, with its large head and unique beak, has been pushed to the brink of extinction due to predation from invasive species, habitat loss, and human hunting. Experts estimate that less than 100 tooth-billed pigeons remain, and it is considered a “lost” species, since it was last photographed in 2013.
The partnership, also in alliance with the IUCN SSC Pigeon and Dove Specialist Group and BirdLife International, has successfully confirmed the existence of the tooth-billed pigeon and aims to identify its location by using Colossal's AI bioacoustic tools. The goal is to capture live specimens to biobank, as well as assess the feasibility of establishing a captive breeding program as a safeguard against extinction in the wild.
“The manumea is on the very brink of extinction, and the devastating impact of invasive species on this unique, native bird is sobering,” said Joe Wood, Co-Chair of the IUCN SSC Pigeon and Dove Specialist Group. “But there are glimmers of hope in the strength of the partnerships which have been forged and the dedication of the expert field team. We still have a chance to save these extraordinary creatures, and I have no doubt that technology being developed by Colossal will be critical, not just for the manumea, but for many other endangered birds globally."
In a major breakthrough in bioacoustics, Colossal's AI team successfully trained its custom advanced machine learning algorithm to successfully recognize the pigeon’s distinctive vocalizations, allowing scientists to locate a bird that no one has seen in over a decade. The few-shot bird call classifier software was based on a meager five minutes of manumea audio recordings. Colossal has open-sourced the algorithm, which accurately censuses and monitors bird populations, for other conservationists to use in the search for additional lost or elusive bird species.
“Our active efforts to save the manumea have increased significantly with the help of Colossal’s bioacoustic tools and the work they have accomplished thus far,” said Moeumu Uili of Samoa Conservation Society. “Samoans hold the species in high regard and it is seen as a crucial symbol of natural heritage and a vital part of its ecosystem.”
Using Colossal’s machine-learning pipeline, the Samoa Conservation Society will upload raw forest soundscapes allowing the algorithm to flag the manumea’s signature calls and enabling field teams to triangulate detections, locate live birds, and capture them for biobanking efforts. Colossal’s ongoing funding and AI expertise will propel detection to hands-on conservation. This same software platform is now being used by Colossal to analyze bioacoustics data from wolves in Yellowstone.
"Colossal’s AI capabilities have allowed us to successfully identify and recognize the tooth-billed pigeon’s distinctive vocalizations and we can now track a species that hasn’t been photographed in over 13 years," said Matt James, Executive Director of the Colossal Foundation. “We’re excited to deploy additional monitoring systems in the field and see what this means for the future population of the species.”
Conserving the tooth-billed pigeon in Samoa is crucial for maintaining the island's ecosystem and biodiversity. The tooth-billed pigeon is unique for its distinctive bright red beak with tooth-like projections. As a primary seed disperser, the manumea plays a vital role in sustaining the native forest, as other birds cannot open and disperse the seeds of certain trees. Protecting this species also safeguards the island's cultural heritage, as the manumea is Samoa's national bird.
“The AI, acoustics and sound classifications we’re building at Colossal demonstrate the effectiveness of AI-powered bioacoustic technology in low-data scenarios," said CEO and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences Ben Lamm. “Our unique techniques have already helped in Samoa and will be applied to other endangered birds in other habitats. This has brought us closer to saving one of the world’s closest living relatives to the dodo and ensuring the tooth-billed pigeon also doesn’t go extinct.”
ABOUT THE COLOSSAL FOUNDATION
The Colossal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting the use of cutting-edge technologies to conservation efforts globally to help prevent extinction of keystone species. The organization deploys cutting-edge de-extinction technologies and support to empower partners in the field to reverse the extinction crisis.
ABOUT SAMOA CONSERVATION SOCIETY
SCS is a local non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of Samoa’s biological diversity and natural heritage. They work collaboratively with communities, the Government and partners to raise awareness on the state of Samoa’s environment and the species within. They further work with schools and youth groups to educate them on the natural heritage that we are blessed with, and actions that can help in species and habitat recovery.
ABOUT BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL
BirdLife's mission is to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people toward sustainability in the use of natural resources.
ABOUT IUCN SSC PIGEON AND DOVE SPECIALIST GROUP
Key activities of the Specialist Group include collaborating with BirdLife International to assess and monitor the status of Columbiform species, working to raise the profile of threatened pigeons and doves, and convening expertise for conservation. This also entails facilitating communication between organizations involved in ex-situ and in-situ species programmes and between the scientific community and the holders of traditional ecological knowledge. We believe that this group has the potential to become a driving force for the conservation of Columbiformes worldwide, and are committed to growing a diverse network of people who will help us achieve this.
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