Adaptive resource allocation for wildlife protection against illegal poachers

Illegal poaching is an international problem that leads to the extinction of species and the destruction of ecosystems. As evidenced by dangerously dwindling populations of endangered species, existing anti-poaching mechanisms are insufficient. This paper introduces the Protection Assistant for Wildlife Security (PAWS) application - a joint deployment effort done with researchers at Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) with the goal of improving wildlife ranger patrols. While previous works have deployed applications with a game-theoretic approach (specifically Stackelberg Games) for counter-terrorism, wildlife crime is an important domain that promotes a wide range of new deployments. Additionally, this domain presents new research challenges and opportunities related to learning behavioral models from collected poaching data. In addressing these challenges, our first contribution is a behavioral model extension that captures the heterogeneity of poachers' decision making processes. Second, we provide a novel framework, PAWS-Learn, that incrementally improves the behavioral model of the poacher population with more data. Third, we develop a new algorithm, PAWS-Adapt, that adaptively improves the resource allocation strategy against the learned model of poachers. Fourth, we demonstrate PAWS's potential effectiveness when applied to patrols in QENP, where PAWS will be deployed.

• Publication year

  2014

• Venue

  Adaptive Agents and Multi-Agent Systems

• Publication date

  2014-05-05

• Fields of study

  Computer Science, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.65109/exbj9921
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Online planning for optimal protector strategies in resource conservation games

  2014cited by this paper
• Analyzing the Effectiveness of Adversary Modeling in Security Games

  2013influential reference
• To conserve and protect: examining law enforcement ranger culture and operations in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

  2013cited by this paper
• Where , when and why are there elephant poaching hotspots in Kenya ?

  2013cited by this paper
• Playing repeated Stackelberg games with unknown opponents

  2012cited by this paper
• A robust approach to addressing human adversaries in security games

  2012cited by this paper
• Computing Game-Theoretic Solutions and Applications to Security

  2012cited by this paper
• PROTECT: a deployed game theoretic system to protect the ports of the United States

  2012influential reference
• The illegal parrot trade in the neo-tropics: The relationship between poaching and illicit pet markets

  2012cited by this paper
• Security and Game Theory - Algorithms, Deployed Systems, Lessons Learned

  2011influential reference
• Security and Game Theory: IRIS – A Tool for Strategic Security Allocation in Transportation Networks

  2011cited by this paper
• Improving effectiveness of protection efforts in tiger source sites: Developing a framework for law enforcement monitoring using MIST.

  2010cited by this paper
• Facing the challenge of human-agent negotiations via effective general opponent modeling

  2009cited by this paper
• Learning and Approximating the Optimal Strategy to Commit To

  2009cited by this paper
• Local law enforcement and illegal bushmeat hunting outside the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

  2007cited by this paper
• Correlates of wildlife snaring patterns in Tsavo West National Park, Kenya

  2006cited by this paper
• Learning Social Preferences in Games

  2004cited by this paper
• Generation of random sequences by human subjects: A critical survey of literature.

  1972cited by this paper

• Learning in Structured Stackelberg Games

  2025cites this paper
• The Art of Concession in General Lotto Games

  2025cites this paper
• Incomplete and Asymmetric Information in General Lotto Games

  2025cites this paper
• Generative AI Against Poaching: Latent Composite Flow Matching for Wildlife Conservation

  2025cites this paper
• Is Learning Effective in Dynamic Strategic Interactions? Evidence from Stackelberg Games

  2025cites this paper
• Patrol Security Game: Defending Against Adversary with Freedom in Attack Timing, Location, and Duration

  2024cites this paper
• Strategic Coalitions in Networked Contest Games

  2024cites this paper
• Strategy investments in zero-sum games

  2024influential citation
• No-Regret Learning of Nash Equilibrium for Black-Box Games via Gaussian Processes

  2024cites this paper
• An Offline–Online Integration Approach for Security Traffic Patrolling With Frequency Constraints

  2024cites this paper
• Spatio-temporal trajectory data modeling for fishing gear classification

  2024cites this paper
• Two-phase Attacks in Security Games

  2023cites this paper
• Target protection using multiple unmanned aerial vehicles based on Stackelberg security game

  2023cites this paper
• Beyond the ‘Enemy-of-my-Enemy’ Alliances: Coalitions in Networked Contest Games

  2023cites this paper
• Recommender systems for sustainability: overview and research issues

  2023cites this paper
• Animal trafficking and poaching: major threats to the biodiversity

  2023cites this paper
• Duel-based neuroevolutionary method for Stackelberg Security Games with boundedly rational Attacker

  2023cites this paper
• Nature conservation planning model of Masai Mara based on Genetic algorithm optimization neural network

  2023cites this paper
• Strategic Play By Resource-Bounded Agents in Security Games

  2023cites this paper
• Two-phase Security Games

  2023cites this paper
• Low Resource-Reallocation Defense Strategies for Repeated Security Games With No Prior Knowledge and Limited Observability

  2023cites this paper
• No-Regret Learning in Dynamic Stackelberg Games

  2022cites this paper
• The importance of randomization in resource assignment problems

  2022cites this paper
• Evolutionary Approach to Security Games with Signaling

  2022cites this paper
• Design-Space Exploration for Decision-Support Software

  2022cites this paper
• Commitment with Signaling under Double-sided Information Asymmetry

  2022cites this paper
• Artificial Replay: A Meta-Algorithm for Harnessing Historical Data in Bandits

  2022cites this paper
• Optimal Mixed Strategies for Cost-Adversarial Planning Games

  2022influential citation
• Fighting pickpocketing using a choice-based resource allocation model

  2022cites this paper
• A Survey of Opponent Modeling in Adversarial Domains

  2022cites this paper
• On evaluation of patrolling and signalling schemes to prevent poaching in green security games

  2022cites this paper
• Robustness in Green Security: Minimax Regret Optimality with Reinforcement Learning

  2021cites this paper
• Evaluation of a Pure-Strategy Stackelberg Game for Wildlife Security in a Geospatial Framework

  2021cites this paper
• Food web conservation vs. strategic threats: A security game approach

  2021cites this paper
• Gradient-based optimization for multi-resource spatial coverage problems

  2021cites this paper
• A Survey on Mixed-Integer Programming Techniques in Bilevel Optimization

  2021cites this paper
• A security game approach for strategic conservation against poaching considering food web complexities

  2021cites this paper
• Strategically Revealing Intentions in General Lotto Games

  2021cites this paper
• A General Lotto game with asymmetric budget uncertainty

  2021cites this paper
• Robust Reinforcement Learning Under Minimax Regret for Green Security

  2021cites this paper
• A robust approach for modeling limited observability in bilevel optimization

  2021cites this paper
• Learn to Predict Equilibria via Fixed Point Networks

  2021cites this paper
• Evolution of Strategies in Sequential Security Games

  2021cites this paper
• Gradient-based Optimization for Multi-resource Spatial Coverage

  2020cites this paper
• Sequential decomposition of Stochastic Stackelberg games

  2020cites this paper
• Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Towards a science of security games Towards a science of security games

  2020cites this paper
• Artificial Intelligence Research: First Southern African Conference for AI Research, SACAIR 2020, Muldersdrift, South Africa, February 22-26, 2021, Proceedings

  2020influential citation
• Abstraction Techniques In Security Games With Underlying Network Structure

  2020influential citation
• Game Theoretic Malware Detection

  2020cites this paper
• Enhancing Poaching Predictions for Under-Resourced Wildlife Conservation Parks Using Remote Sensing Imagery

  2020cites this paper
• When security games hit traffic: A deployed optimal traffic enforcement system

  2020influential citation
• End-to-End Learning and Intervention in Games

  2020cites this paper
• Learning and Planning in the Feature Deception Problem

  2020cites this paper
• Learning to Play Sequential Games versus Unknown Opponents

  2020cites this paper
• Game Theory on the Ground: The Effect of Increased Patrols on Deterring Poachers

  2020cites this paper
• Incentive Auction Design Alternatives: A Simulation Study

  2020cites this paper
• Agent-based modelling as a tool for elephant poaching mitigation

  2020cites this paper
• Stochastic Stackelberg games

  2020cites this paper
• Artificial Intelligence for Social Good: A Survey

  2020cites this paper
• A study of general and security Stackelberg game formulations

  2019cites this paper
• Worst-case analysis for a leader–follower partially observable stochastic game

  2019cites this paper
• Toward Efficient City-Scale Patrol Planning Using Decomposition and Grafting

  2019cites this paper
• Defending on networks: applying game theory to prevent illegal activities in structured security domains

  2019cites this paper
• Simulating Null Games for Uncertainty Evaluation in Green Security Games

  2019cites this paper
• Learning and Planning in Feature Deception Games

  2019cites this paper
• Coordinating resources in Stackelberg Security Games

  2019cites this paper
• Developing Patrol Strategies for the Cooperative Opportunistic Criminals

  2019cites this paper
• End-to-End Game-Focused Learning of Adversary Behavior in Security Games

  2019cites this paper
• A Generic Metaheuristic Approach to Sequential Security Games

  2019cites this paper
• DeepFP for Finding Nash Equilibrium in Continuous Action Spaces

  2019cites this paper
• Learning Optimal Strategies to Commit To

  2019cites this paper
• Artificial Intelligence for Social Good

  2019cites this paper
• Optimal Wildlife Smuggling Interdiction

  2019influential citation
• AbSRiM: An Agent‐Based Security Risk Management Approach for Airport Operations

  2019cites this paper
• Decision-Focused Learning of Adversary Behavior in Security Games

  2019cites this paper
• Tackling Climate Change with Machine Learning

  2019cites this paper
• Co-Design as a Means of Fostering Appropriation of Conservation Monitoring Technology by Indigenous Communities

  2019cites this paper
• Online Resource Allocation with Matching Constraints

  2019cites this paper
• Patrol Scheduling Against Adversaries with Varying Attack Durations

  2019cites this paper
• Stay Ahead of Poachers: Illegal Wildlife Poaching Prediction and Patrol Planning Under Uncertainty with Field Test Evaluations (Short Version)

  2019cites this paper
• Deep Fictitious Play for Games with Continuous Action Spaces

  2019cites this paper
• A Stackelberg security Markov game based on partial information for strategic decision making against unexpected attacks

  2019cites this paper
• Reward-Based Deception with Cognitive Bias

  2019cites this paper
• Restless Bandits visiting Villages: A Preliminary Study on distributing Public Health Services

  2018cites this paper
• Solving Stackelberg security Markov games employing the bargaining Nash approach: Convergence analysis

  2018cites this paper
• A double oracle algorithm for allocating resources on nodes in graph-based security games

  2018cites this paper
• Policy Learning for Continuous Space Security Games Using Neural Networks

  2018cites this paper
• Adversary Models Account for Imperfect Crime Data: Forecasting and Planning against Real-world Poachers

  2018cites this paper
• An agent-based model of an endangered population of the Arctic fox from Mednyi Island

  2018cites this paper
• Imbalanced Collusive Security Games

  2018cites this paper
• A continuous-time Markov Stackelberg security game approach for reasoning about real patrol strategies

  2018cites this paper
• An Initial Study of Targeted Personality Models in the FlipIt Game

  2018cites this paper
• On the Inducibility of Stackelberg Equilibrium for Security Games

  2018cites this paper
• Trends and Applications in Stackelberg Security Games

  2018influential citation
• Technology appropriation through co-design of conservation management tools by indigenous communities

  2018cites this paper
• Fostering adoption of conservation technologies: a case study with wildlife law enforcement rangers

  2018cites this paper
• Optimal patrol routes: interdicting and pursuing rhino poachers

  2018cites this paper
• A QS-learning-Based Patrol Behavior Learning for Avoiding Illegal Disposals

  2018cites this paper
• Coordinated defender strategies for border patrols

  2018cites this paper
• A Policing Resource Allocation Method for Cooperative Security Game

  2018cites this paper