Canada: Researchers test Bear-vision cameras to detect approaching polar bears
The new technology combines security camera footage with short-range radar to provide affordable warnings for communities.
Researchers in Canada are testing a new warning system called Bear-vision to alert communities about approaching polar bears, according to a Times of India report.
The conservation charity Polar Bears International is developing the technology by pairing security camera technology with short-range radar. The system is intended to be a more affordable and user-friendly alternative to wide-area radar systems.
The first deployment of Bear-vision is scheduled for this autumn at a waste facility in Churchill. Researchers will use the data collected at this site to train the system to recognise bears and send notifications when they are spotted.
The project follows a fire that destroyed waste facilities in Churchill, where garbage can attract bears and create risks for people and animals. The camera trial is part of a broader management effort that includes electric fences and Bear-dar monitoring.
Geoff York, vice president of science and policy at Polar Bears International, said the organisation is investing in coexistence approaches as climate change leads to more human-bear encounters. He stated that testing deterrents like drones and detection tech like Bear-vision aims to expand the variety of safe, affordable tools available.
The organisation noted that climate-driven loss of sea ice means bears stay on land roughly one month longer than previous generations. The ice-free period near Hudson Bay currently lasts between three and four weeks longer than it did in the 1980s.