NEOM in northern Saudi Arabia is renowned as an important area for marine megafauna — large animals such as dolphins, turtles and dugongs that call the Red Sea their home. KAUST Beacon Development, an environmental consultancy at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), is playing a key role in helping NEOM further understanding and protection of these unique species. 

Specialist researchers are utilizing AI to process extensive drone survey footage of important megafauna habitats to empower targeted and effective conservation of NEOM’s special marine wildlife — including humpback dolphins, dugongs, green and hawksbill turtles, sharks and rays. 

“We especially wanted to understand the megafauna distribution and abundance in the area around Sindalah, as we are committed to protecting our special wildlife while enhancing the visitor experience in this beautiful part of NEOM Nature Reserve,” said NEOM Nature Reserve Marine Director Dr. Deni Porej. These data are critical for reducing risks to marine megafauna from vessel traffic and other human activities. 

“The surveys here could potentially be used as a benchmark for similar efforts going forward,” William Paterson, senior marine megafauna specialist at KAUST Beacon Development, noted about the surveying project, conducted on behalf of NEOM and in collaboration with world experts from Edith Cowan University (ECU). 

Highlighting NEOM’s leadership role in driving innovative conservation strategies, this collaborative surveying initiative leverages cutting-edge research to build sustainable ecosystem management for the future. Porej added: “The use of drones and AI monitoring is a testament to NEOM’s focus on innovation, embedded across our programs.” 

Since January 2024, through KAUST Beacon Development, KAUST has been conducting a series of marine megafauna surveys. NEOM Nature Reserve initiated, funded, and has overseen these activities as part of its comprehensive conservation strategy, leveraging significant resources, expertise, and innovative technology. The Sindalah region is a key asset within the NEOM giga project. 

The primary survey method, conducted from January to June, used fixed-wing drone transects to collect data, with collaborative efforts and advanced technologies supporting NEOM’s ecosystem planning. Paterson said: “We also captured high-quality images and videos using multi-rotor drones, enabling species identification and photo ID, which wasn’t always possible with traditional transect surveys, and explored additional research topics.” 

He added: “We’ll continue to do surveys until at least November 2024 and hopefully into next year, which allows us the opportunity to develop more data on seasonality while also thinking about the possibilities of using new drone technologies to potentially achieve real-time detections of marine mammals and transmit location data live to vessels.” 

High-tech observations 

Researchers relied heavily on an artificial intelligence model to process the 180,000 images collected during the first phase of this joint effort by KAUST and NEOM, underscoring their shared commitment to marine conservation. 

“We’ve now reached a point where it’s reliably detecting dugongs, turtles, dolphins, sharks and rays,” Paterson said. “That is ongoing. All the data we’ve collected — and will collect up to November of this year — will be input into this model, which we’ll continually improve. We also conducted marine mammal observer surveys concurrent with the drone surveys.” 

According to NEOM Marine Conservation and Fisheries Senior Manager Winston Cowie, a combination of boat, land and aerial monitoring supported this comprehensive marine survey. The survey covered 19,839 kilometers of fine-scale drone surveys, 5,771 kilometers of boat-based megafauna surveys across two seasons (summer and winter), and 55 days of land observation. 

Vessel- and- land-based teams primarily searched for Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, Paterson said, collecting high-quality images for photo identification. Drones provided video, while boat teams captured detailed photographs to identify individual dolphins, aiding in tracking them across survey periods and identifying the local population. 

“There’s a maximum group size of up to 14 individuals directly observed, but there could be as many as 23 individuals that pass in and out of the Sindalah Archipelago at any given time. These are high-quality photos that allow for potential mark-and-recapture studies in the future, eventually leading to an abundance estimate of the animals.” 

He added: “We’ve shown they’re definitely breeding there. Three mother-calf pairs have been seen, with one calf certainly born this year in the Sindalah region. We know these animals are possibly year-round residents, definitely using the area.” 

Biodiversity matters 

Another target species for the survey is the dugong — a large marine mammal within the same order as manatees. Researchers used drone focal searches to obtain high-quality images that enabled photo identification of individuals through markings on their tail flukes, scars and other physical markers. 

“We’ve utilized an AI model and have now reached a point where it reliably detects dugongs, turtles, dolphins, sharks and rays,” Cowie said. “All the data we’ve collected is input into this model, which we’ll continue to improve. We have already established that threatened species, including the dugong, Indian Ocean humpback dolphin, and green and hawksbill turtles, frequent the area and call the Sindalah Archipelago home.” 

NEOM can use comprehensive risk assessments, drone and marine mammal observer surveys, and analyses of animal distribution and topography to guide protective measures for these marine species. Paterson added: “These species really show the biodiversity value of the Sindalah Archipelago on its own, not just from the perspective of its conservation value, but also what tourists will experience when the area becomes operational.”