It has been more than 40 years since anyone spotted a Japanese river otter (水獭). And the once common Tangtze River dolphins have either disappeared or are very rarely seen. 【小题1】 But the advancement of technology could mean that the extinction of other species is not a given (必然).

A huge challenge scientists and conservationists encounter is tracking species facing extinction in order to help them. 【小题2】. One example is the Maui dolphin, one of the rarest and most threatened dolphins in the ocean. Familiar with their summer behavior, researchers knew that there were just 54 of these mammals living off the coast of New Zealand. 【小题3】. After four years of developing, testing and fundraising, these scientists received permission to use a drone with AI that tracked the dolphins no matter the season. The result was the extension of a marine safety place to protect their habitat.

【小题4】, AI is being used to enhance traditional methods of preventing hunting. Cameras record any boats that try to enter the park on Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, an illegal entry point. AI immediately detects this activity and alerts park rangers, who deal with the illegal hunters.

In Brazil, AI quickly analyzed over 150, 000 satellite images, revealing that the world’s largest tropical wetlands lost 74 percent of its surface water. 【小题5】

The use of AI has helped to accelerate action and increase conservationists’ ability to protect the natural world for generations to come.