Gujarat: SIMBA to give distinct identity to each Asiatic lion

What is the news?

The Gujarat forest department has developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based software named SIMBA.

What is SIMBA?

SIMBA or Software with Intelligent Marking Based Identification of Asiatic lions is an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based software developed to identify Asiatic lions individually. 

The software has been developed by Hyderabad-based “teliolabs”. 

How does SIMBA work?

Asiatic lions have unique whisker spots on either side of their muzzle. According to scientific studies, these precise patterns are highly variable and do not change over time. 

SIMBA works with a deep machine learning technique to distinguish these precise patterns/marks to identify Asiatic lions individually. 

The software can also give additional information like gender (male/female), name, microchip number, life-status (dead/alive), lactating (in case of female) among others.

What is the significance of SIMBA?

Firstly, it will be used for understanding population demographics and expanding conservation and management efforts towards Asiatic Lions. 

Secondly, it can be used to create a library of data on the Asiatic lions with a unique identification number/ name.

Source: This post is based on the article “Gujarat: SIMBA to give distinct identity to each Asiatic lion” published in TOI on 4th Mar 2022.