Artificial Intelligence and the Impact of Wolves in Ávila.
Throughout history wolves and humans have had a conflictive and complex love-hate relationship. On one hand, wolves are frequently the culprits of livestock predation, creating tension with local farmers and landowners, while on the other, their domestic relative the dog is considered a cultural extension of the family. Due to the attacks produced on livestock, tension has formed over the years among rural populations. Unfortunately, Castilla y León is one of the country’s most affected areas by wolf attacks on livestock; with Ávila being a focal point for most of these damages.
The objectives of this line of research are to use artificially intelligent algorithms to model and study the impact of wolves in the province of Ávila. Using spatial data, statistical Geographical Information System (GIS) approaches and Machine/Deep Learning, we hope to provide a new perspective to the study of wolf activities and attacks on local livestock.
The advantages of artificially intelligent algorithms are multiple. These algorithms provide a new means of predicting when and where the next attack is most likely to occur. Likewise, additional research may be able to highlight which animals are more likely to be attacked. This data could be of great benefit to local agricultural communities, thus helping protect their assets and help alleviate tension that could better protect the wolf from danger of extinction.