# @thetorontozoo on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DeMn5UHF9eH
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/71333322-thetorontozoo-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/3fe91d5b85.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-10-07T14:56:06.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Toronto Zoo (@thetorontozoo) — https://gondola.cc/thetorontozoo

## Caption

What if technology could help us better understand what animals are doing: 24 hours a day?🔬 

This #ScienceLiteracyWeek, we would like to highlight an award-winning behavioural science initiative taking place at your Toronto Zoo.  How animals spend their time, use their habitats and respond to changes in their environment can provide invaluable insights that help inform evidence-based animal well-being decisions. 

Our behavioural science program is getting an innovative boost through ZooAI: An AI-Enhanced Framework for Automated Behavioural Monitoring in Zoos and Aquariums. This groundbreaking work was recently recognized with a 2026 Research Award from zoos_aquariums (AZA) 🏆 

ZooAI combines existing camera systems with computer vision and artificial intelligence to help scientists continuously monitor animal behaviour, including during evenings, overnight and other times when traditional observations may not be possible. It can transform video into activity budgets, habitat-use heatmaps and real-time alerts when defined behavioural thresholds are reached. 

But ZooAI doesn't replace the expertise of our Wildlife Care and Welfare Science teams. The technology is grounded in welfare science, and its models are validated against observations made by trained people. 

ZooAI has helped us understand how Mazy the Amur tiger uses different areas of their habitat throughout the day and night. It can identify patterns in swimming behaviour for Juno the polar bear and alert staff when predetermined thresholds are reached, providing another source of information that can support timely, individualized management decisions. 

And the science continues to grow! ZooAI has been developed and tested across multiple species including cheetahs, tigers, polar bears and birds, with work underway to expand its applications even further.

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## Tags

scienceliteracyweek

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