Recognizing bison in the wild with AI

The "KIWI@SIWI" project (AI-supported individual identification and management implications for wild animals in the wild using the example of bison) is being funded by the EU and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy (MWIKE) NRW as part of the "NEXT.IN.NRW" innovation competition with a total of around 1.5 million euros. The app is to be developed using the example of the bison living in Wittgenstein. It could later be used in a wide variety of contexts - from zoos to agriculture and wildlife management.

A public kick-off meeting will take place on September 17, 2025 at 1 pm in the community center of the town of Bad Berleburg (Poststr. 42, 57319 Bad Berleburg), to which interested citizens are also cordially invited. The plan is to introduce the research team and the project in more detail. There will then be time for questions and discussions over coffee and cake.

Four chairs at the University of Siegen are involved in the project: Prof. Dr. Michael Möller's Chair of Computer Vision, Jun-Prof. Dr. Jovita Lukasik's Chair of Visual Computing, Prof. Dr. Volker Wulf's Chair of Business Information Systems and New Media, and Prof. Dr. Klaudia Witte's Chair of Ecology and Behavioral Biology. NanoGiants GmbH is also on board as a practical partner. A representative of Forschungszentrum Jülich, the project sponsor, is also expected to attend the kick-off meeting.