Track 3: AI for Augmenting Zoo Keepers

How might we empower zoo keepers with AI companions that handle routine tasks, enabling them to focus on what matters most – building meaningful relationships with animals and providing exceptional care?

Behind every happy hippo like Moodeng is a dedicated team of zoo keepers who pour their hearts into providing the best possible care. These amazing individuals often juggle countless tasks – from careful health monitoring to detailed record-keeping – while trying to spend quality time understanding and bonding with their animal companions. Zoos around the world often also don’t have the resources to store, compute, and automate insights from video footage. 

This track challenges participants to create thoughtful AI solutions that lift the administrative burden from our zoo keepers’ shoulders and enable them to do even better. Participants must design solutions that understand the delicate balance of a zoo keeper’s responsibilities. These systems should go beyond simple automation to create intelligent workflows that adapt to each keeper’s unique routine and each animal’s specific needs. The solutions should enhance the keeper’s ability to make informed decisions about animal care while streamlining the sharing of critical information across care teams. This might include automated behavior logging during enrichment activities, smart alerts for subtle changes in patterns, and efficient ways to share insights across the care team. The solution should also consider how to thoughtfully integrate community contributions, allowing keepers to leverage public engagement while maintaining professional standards of care. 

 Here are some possible pathways: 

1. The Keeper’s Companion – This pathway focuses on creating an intuitive AI assistant that works alongside keepers throughout their day. The system should understand the natural flow of keeper activities, automatically documenting observations while allowing keepers to stay fully present with their animals. 

2. Care & Connection Insights – This pathway emphasizes the development of intelligent systems that help keepers better understand and anticipate their animals’ needs. Solutions should surface meaningful patterns in behavioral and health data, enabling proactive care decisions that can be made with evidence and in a collaborative manner. 

3. Community of Care – There are plenty of CCTV footage but not enough eyes. This pathway explores how to thoughtfully integrate public participation into professional animal care. Solutions should create structured ways for the internet community to contribute positively while ensuring that all information passes through appropriate professional validation.