Real-time classification of Serengeti wildebeest behaviour with edge machine learning and a long-range IoT network

Cyrus M. Kavwele, J. Grant C. Hopcraft, Juan M. Morales, Gerald Nyaffi, Nancy Kimuya, Colin J. Torney,
Real-time classification of Serengeti wildebeest behaviour with edge machine learning and a long-range IoT network,
Canadian Journal of Zoology,
Volume 103,
2025,
Pages 1-11,
ISSN 0008-4301,
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2024-0075.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008430125000401)
Abstract: Globally, animal populations are facing increasing levels of environmental disturbance. Human activity, land-use change, and global warming are altering migration routes, space use, activity budgets, and the behaviour of many wildlife species. Understanding impacts on wildlife at a fine scale is essential to identify locations of increased disturbance, mitigate its effects, and predict potential population level outcomes. In this work, we introduce a low-cost animal tracking system that integrates open-source electronics, edge machine learning, and an Internet of Things network, to provide real-time information on the location and behaviour of animals. The system employs an on-board machine learning algorithm to identify distinct behaviours and then transmits classification outputs along with location data over a long-range network. We deployed the system on wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus (Burchell, 1823)), in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, a highly social migratory ungulate population that is ecologically and economically vital to the region. Analysis of the transmitted data showed activity readings were consistent with location data and revealed biologically meaningful fluctuations in daily activity patterns. Our system introduces a new dimension to studying animal behaviour and movement ecology by offering immediate insights into the behaviour and location of collared animals.
Keywords: animal behaviour; conservation technology; machine learning; remote tracking; wildebeest; Connochaetes taurinus