Polar Bears International tests AI technology to prevent human encounters

An international team of experts is testing Bear-vision, an AI-powered monitoring system designed to detect approaching polar bears. Developed by the conservation group Polar Bears International, the technology builds upon Bear-dar systems by combining radar and video cameras to identify and monitor animal movement in the Arctic landscape.

The device serves as an early warning system for homes and businesses, providing a cost-effective way to alert communities to nearby bears. The first Bear-vision unit is being deployed at a waste facility in Churchill, Manitoba, a town on the coast of Hudson Bay.

As climate change causes sea ice to melt earlier, polar bears are forced to remain on land for longer periods, increasing the frequency of encounters with humans. The deployment in Churchill aims to assist residents and tourists during the period when bears congregate to wait for the bay to freeze so they can hunt seals.