Deep Learning for Automatic Detection and Facial Recognition in Japanese Macaques: Illuminating Social Networks

Individual identification plays a pivotal role in ecology and ethology, notably as a tool for complex social structures understanding. However, traditional identification methods often involve invasive physical tags and can prove both disruptive for animals and time-intensive for researchers. In recent years, the integration of deep learning in research offered new methodological perspectives through automatization of complex tasks. Harnessing object detection and recognition technologies is increasingly used by researchers to achieve identification on video footage. This study represents a preliminary exploration into the development of a non-invasive tool for face detection and individual identification of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) through deep learning. The ultimate goal of this research is, using identifications done on the dataset, to automatically generate a social network representation of the studied population. The current main results are promising: (i) the creation of a Japanese macaques' face detector (Faster-RCNN model), reaching a 82.2% accuracy and (ii) the creation of an individual recognizer for K{\=o}jima island macaques population (YOLOv8n model), reaching a 83% accuracy. We also created a K{\=o}jima population social network by traditional methods, based on co-occurrences on videos. Thus, we provide a benchmark against which the automatically generated network will be assessed for reliability. These preliminary results are a testament to the potential of this innovative approach to provide the scientific community with a tool for tracking individuals and social network studies in Japanese macaques.

Automatic Identification of Stone-Handling Behaviour in Japanese Macaques Using LabGym Artificial Intelligence

The latest advancements in artificial intelligence technology have opened doors to the analysis of intricate behaviours. In light of this, ethologists are actively exploring the potential of these innovations to streamline the time-intensive process of behavioural analysis using video data. In the realm of primatology, several tools have been developed for this purpose. Nonetheless, each of these tools grapples with technical constraints that we aim to surmount. To address these limitations, we have established a comprehensive protocol designed to harness the capabilities of a cutting-edge tool, LabGym. Our primary objective was to evaluate LabGym's suitability for the analysis of primate behaviour, with a focus on Japanese macaques as our model subjects. We have successfully developed a model that demonstrates a high degree of accuracy in detecting Japanese macaques stone-handling behaviour. Our behavioural analysis model was completed as per our initial expectations and LabGym succeed to recognise stone-handling behaviour on videos. However, it is important to note that our study's ability to draw definitive conclusions regarding the quality of the behavioural analysis is hampered by the absence of quantitative data within the specified timeframe. Nevertheless, our model represents the pioneering endeavour, as far as our knowledge extends, in leveraging LabGym for the analysis of primate behaviours. It lays the groundwork for potential future research in this promising field.