Can AI help us speak with wolves? | Jeffrey T. Reed

Summary

TED Talks Daily: Can AI Help Us Speak with Wolves? | Jeffrey T. Reed

Release Date: June 2, 2025 Host: TED (Elise Hu)

In the episode titled "Can AI Help Us Speak with Wolves?" featured on TED Talks Daily, software engineer and renowned wolf whisperer Jeffrey T. Reed delves into the intricate world of wolf communication and explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is bridging the gap between humans and these majestic creatures. This comprehensive summary captures the essence of Reed's enlightening talk, highlighting key discussions, insights, and groundbreaking discoveries.

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1. Introduction: The Quest to Understand Wolves

Jeffrey T. Reed opens his talk by sharing a personal anecdote, setting the stage for his deep-seated passion for wildlife communication. He recounts his memories from Yellowstone National Park, emphasizing the profound impact of witnessing wolves in their natural habitat:

“Wolves were killed off in Yellowstone in the 1920s, reintroduced in 1995 and now contribute to over a half a billion dollar annual tourism economy where I live now.” (03:48)

Reed underscores the significance of AI in decoding animal communications, making what was once considered fantastical a tangible reality.

2. The Role of Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs)

Central to Reed’s research are Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs)—battery-operated devices that leverage AI to capture and analyze animal sounds. These devices are instrumental in:

• Recording Relevant Sounds: ARUs selectively record crucial sounds and motions, optimizing the data collection process for scientists.
• Precise Localization: They can pinpoint the exact location of specific sounds, such as a poacher's gunshot, enhancing wildlife protection efforts.

“In order to decode wolf fish, my company works with Yellowstone scientists to build autonomous recording units or ARUs.” (04:30)

3. Deciphering Wolf Communication

Wolves communicate through a diverse array of over 20 different call types, including barks, yelps, whimpers, whines, moans, howls, and teeth clacking. Reed highlights the complexity of their communication system:

“Wolves can identify one another just from their howls. But we do not know yet if they have names like Teddy or Rachel, or if it's more like you picking up the phone and recognizing that person's voice on the other end.” (07:15)

One of the most fascinating aspects Reed discusses is the chorus howl, a coordinated group communication method used to declare territory. He vividly describes a scenario where the alpha female leads this chorus, orchestrating a symphony of howls that conveys the pack's presence and unity.

“A chorus howl is when a pack or family of wolves communicate as a group, often to signal that this is their territory.” (09:00)

4. AI and Spectrogram Analysis

Reed introduces the concept of spectrograms—visual representations of sound that allow AI algorithms to detect patterns and nuances in wolf howls. By analyzing these spectrograms, AI can discern individual wolf calls even amidst a cacophony of sounds.

“Software algorithms help us find signal in that noise.” (06:45)

This technological intervention enables researchers to better understand the context and meaning behind each howl, paving the way for more nuanced interpretations of wolf behavior.

5. Counting Wolves Through Audio Data

One of the innovative applications of AI in Reed's research is counting wolves based solely on audio recordings. By analyzing the patterns in howls, AI can estimate the number of wolves in a pack without the need for intrusive visual tracking. This method not only enhances accuracy but also reduces the time and resources required for wildlife census.

“We’re using technology from Google DeepMind to see if we can count wolves just from audio recordings and improve census estimates of wildlife.” (11:30)

6. Implications for Conservation and Human-Wildlife Interaction

Reed emphasizes the broader implications of his research for wildlife conservation and human-wildlife interactions. Understanding wolf communication can lead to more effective conservation strategies, ensuring the survival of these apex predators and the ecosystems they support.

“The challenge we collectively face as real humans, not artificial ones, goes far beyond individual opinions on wild wolves. It’s about the future of wildness itself.” (13:45)

Additionally, his work highlights the delicate balance between technological advancements and preserving the natural behaviors of wildlife.

7. Conclusion: The Future of Animal Communication

Reed concludes his talk on an optimistic note, acknowledging that while AI may not fully decode animal communication in human terms, it is a significant step towards fostering a deeper understanding and connection with the animal kingdom.

“There has to be animals to decode. If your body represented the total weight of all the world's land mammals today, your right forearm would be what's left of the wild ones.” (13:00)

He invites the audience to partake in the experience of wolf howling, leaving them with a sense of unity and respect for the wild.

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Key Takeaways

• AI as a Bridge: Artificial intelligence serves as a pivotal tool in translating and understanding complex animal communications, particularly among wolves.

• Advanced Monitoring: Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs) equipped with AI capabilities revolutionize the way scientists monitor and study wildlife, providing precise and actionable data.

• Deepening Conservation Efforts: Enhanced understanding of wolf communication leads to more informed and effective conservation strategies, ensuring the protection and sustainability of wolf populations.

• Human-Wildlife Harmony: By decoding animal communications, humans can foster a more harmonious relationship with wildlife, respecting their natural behaviors and habitats.

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Jeffrey T. Reed's insightful exploration into the synergy between AI and wildlife communication not only broadens our understanding of wolves but also exemplifies the profound possibilities that emerge when technology and nature intersect. His work stands as a testament to the potential of AI in unraveling the mysteries of the natural world, paving the way for a future where humans and animals can coexist with deeper mutual understanding.

Transcript

[Elise Hu]

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[Elise Hu]

You're listening to Ted Talks Daily where we bring you new ideas and conversations to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hu. I've got a nine month old golden retriever puppy at home and I cannot tell you how many times a day I wish I could understand what he's trying to say to me. Well, understanding our dogs and conversing with dolphins and deciphering whale song, howling with wolves. At one point this was all the stuff of fantasy. But with the help of AI we may actually be closer to understanding animal conversations. In this dynamic talk, software engineer and wolf whisperer Jeffrey T. Reed shares what he's learned about wolf communication, its vast implications for how we understand and interact with the world around us. And reveals some exciting discoveries that you'll.

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Just have to hear to follow. Find out.

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So good morning everybody. My name is, but I'm about to play you a real wolf's howl. Not just any old wolf, this wolf was called 907. The typical wolf in Yellowstone National park only lives three and a half years. 907 was 11 and had one eye when she howled like this for over 3:30 minutes to her packmates five miles away. Close your eyes and just listen. With the help of AI, we're trying to decode the wolf howl and rethink how to protect and promote the world's last wild places. This was 907. She was the matriarch of the Junction Butte pack. But I like to call her the one eyed Wonder. And this was me 50 years ago with my family in Yellowstone. There are three reasons you pee your pants. One, you're getting old like none of us in this room, right? Two, you're too young to know better. Or three, in my case, it was my first experience watching wildlife in one of America's grandest ideas, Yellowstone national park and public lands. My buddies and I grew up hiking, hunting and fishing the Abzorkee Mountains of my Montana youth. And where whiskey is for drinking but water and wolves are sometimes for fighting. Wolves were killed off in yellowstone in the 1920s, reintroduced in 1995 and now contribute to over a half a billion dollar annual tourism economy where I live now. Recently, the media has been talking a lot about the use of artificial intelligence to decode animal communication from elephants to bats and everything in between. And a few of us are doing it with one of the most iconic sounds of the wild. In order to decode wolffish, my company works with Yellowstone scientists to build autonomous recording units or ARUs. These battery operated devices use AI to record only the sound and motion that matters to the scientists, saving them time and money. But they can do a lot of other things like tell me the precise location of a sound, for example, the where and when of a poacher's gunshot. Last year, researchers hiked into the backcountry to place ARU's all across the Greater Yellowstone, including one near this wolf den site to study wolf communication. Wolves have over 20 different call types, including barks, yelps, whimpers, whines, moans, whoa's, and even teeth clacking. And they're one of a few species who collectively communicate in what's called a chorus howl. Now, the pups first hear this dictionary of sounds at their birth dens. And so we departed and one month later the pack arrived and the pregnant alpha female claimed the den. Her nose is poking out of the den and she's taking a well deserved pregnancy nap. Three months later, I created this visual representation of every sound recorded at the den site for the month of July. And AI looks for patterns in this data. And the ARU's don't sleep at night, so they were able to record all of these wolf howls. But a howl isn't just a howl. These are spectrograms of 50 individual wolf howls. A spectrogram simply visualizes sound and your eyes and AI can see patterns in them. Here's the howl from just one of those wolves. And here's all 50 wolf howls at the same time. Software algorithms help us find signal in that noise. And researchers have already determined that wolves can identify one another just from their howls. But we do not know yet if they have names like Teddy or Rachel, or if it's more like you picking up the phone and recognizing that person's voice on the other end. Now a howl basically means here I am, where are you? But we've found five functions for different types of howls, including this one, which is used in context of distress. Now this is where it gets interesting to me. A chorus howl is when a pack or family of wolves communicate as a group, often to signal that this is their territory. A wolf from the pack is off camera howling, but being totally ignored by his packmates until something happens. As soon as the alpha female howled, the rest of the wolves looked at her and, and the chorus began. She was the conductor of this chorus and as it kicks off, the wolves come together in this mosh pit of dancing bodies, making different types of calls. But some of the wolves, especially females, use a particular type of howl called a woah. And we think it's to strengthen family bonds. It's a wolf's version of I love you, but it sounds like this. The entire event lasts about 60 seconds and then everybody goes about their business. This is what a chorus howl looks like when 11 wolves from the same pack howl at the same time. And I don't know about you, but to me it looks like an angry doctor's signature. But not to the wolves. We've learned that wolves from one pack can count or estimate the the number of wolves howling in a rival pack without seeing them. And they make a decision. If they're outnumbered, they typically run for the hills. If not, they often approach that rival pack. We're using technology from Google DeepMind to see if we can count wolves just from audio recordings and improve census estimates of wildlife. Now, wolves also bark like your dog. But unlike most dogs, wolves combine barks with other sounds into sentence like like structures. And in this video, a female wolf uses a bark howl after being chased and nearly killed by a rival pack. The bark's an alarm and loosely translated means stranger danger. And the modulated howl send backup. These secretive devices are teaching us that wolves communicate a lot in close quarters. We recently put a tiny are you on the first wild wolf ever and learned that she likes to vocalize roughly half as much as a typical American speaks in a given day. And here's just a sampling of the sounds they make. I love those mini howls. They make a lot more of those than we ever knew. They're close range contact calls. So remember the alpha female taking a nap by her den 25 days later. Her pup stepped outside the den, raised its tiny 3 inch snout and and howled beside mom. With the help of AI, we're learning more about why wolves howl, including that your dog might be barking at that emergency vehicle because it matches the pitch of a wolf pup. Now look, I don't know if AI will ultimately decode animal communication. Wolffish is not the same thing as English. But I do know this. There has to be animals to decode. If your body represented the total weight of all the world's land mammals today, your right forearm would be what's left of the wild ones. The rest of your body is us, our livestock and our pets. As for carnivores, things like lions, tigers and wolves, it's less than my pinky. The challenge we collectively face as real humans, not artificial ones, goes far beyond individual opinions on wild wolves. It's about the future of wildness itself for hunter like me and non hunter alike. So we're going to close with a group chorus howl. No practice. And the next time you're at a party, I want you to down a shot of whiskey and try this now. Now, here's a tip. Use the vowel oo, as in boot. Wait till I count to three. And I'm going to tune up your voices with this recently rediscovered recording from 1995. These are the first wild wolf howls in Yellowstone after 70 years of silence. Ready? One, two, three. Well done. Thank you.

[Elise Hu]

That was Jeffrey t. Reed at TED 2025. If you're curious about TED's curation, find out [e-mail] curationguidelines and that's it for today's show. TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective. This episode was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Greene, Lucy Little, Alejandra Salazar and Tonsika Sarmarnivon. It was mixed by Christopher Faizy Bogan. Additional support from Emma Tobner and Daniela Ballorezzo. I'm Elise Hu. I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

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