System for Elephant Ear-pattern Knowledge
The System for Elephant Ear-pattern Knowledge (SEEK) is a method developed by Elephants Alive to identify individual African elephants1. It has been developed over the course of almost 25 years.[1]
The SEEK system allows for rapid individual identification of savannah elephants with reduced observer bias using basic software.[1] It also accommodates missing information or changes in identification features over time.[1] This system uses manual attribute labels such as sex and the presence/absence of tusks to improve the accuracy and efficiency of re-identification.[2]
This method is particularly useful for mark-resighting studies, which can provide valuable insights but depend on the individual identification of numerous elephants within populations across both Africa and Asia.[1] Most photographic elephant identification studies are still reliant on human memory and manual matching of known individuals[1]. The SEEK system addresses these challenges, making the process less labour intensive and less dependent on experiential skills that need to be developed over time by researchers.[1]
External links
- System for Elephant Ear-pattern Knowledge (SEEK) to identify individual African elephants Pachyderm Journal
- ElephantBook: A Semi-Automated Human-in-the-Loop System for Elephant Re-Identification Cornell University
- System for Elephant Ear-Pattern Knowledge (SEEK) Science Learning Hub – Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao
- ElephantBook: A Semi-Automated Human-in-the-Loop System for Elephant Re-Identification ACM