Lizard in your luggage? We're using artificial intelligence to detect wildlife trafficking

Blue-tongue lizards and sulfur-crested cockatoos are among the native animals frequently smuggled overseas. While the number of live animals seized by the Australian Government has tripled since 2017, the full scale of the problem eludes us as authorities don't often know where and how wildlife is trafficked. Now, we can add a new technology to Australia's arsenal against this cruel and inhumane industry. Our research, published in Frontiers in Conservation Science today, shows the potential for new technology to detect illegal wildlife in luggage or mail. This technology uses artificial intelligence to recognize the shapes of animals when scanned at international frontlines such as airports and mail centers.