Digital Butterfly Conservation Program

Hong Kong hosts over 200 butterfly species with subtle visual differences. Supported by the Countryside Conservation Office’s "Countryside Conservation Funding Scheme", Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve launched the "Digital Butterfly Conservation Program" in 2024. The project applies AI to train a system capable of recognizing 245 butterfly species for public education and ecological surveys.

The system will soon be open to the public. Users can upload locally taken butterfly photos to receive instant species identification. This technology enhances public awareness of butterfly diversity, fosters literacy in citizen science, encourages data collection, and advances broader nature conservation efforts.