The African golden cat would be a fitting creature for the animal kingdom's version of Men in Black, the fictional Earth-protecting organization that values anonymity. 

That's because the feline — Africa's cryptic cat — is the continent's "least known, least understood, least studied big cat," biologist Mwezi Mugerwa told CNN. 

It's gold with spots of varying darkness and number, and it is about twice the size of domestic varieties, Mongabay noted. 

Now, the Earth's most advanced computers may help to save the seldom-seen and vulnerable critter, thanks to Mugerwa and his expanding team of watchdogs. 

The cats are often dead when found by humans. They are captured in snares that are set for pigs and antelopes for the region's bushmeat market. Eighty of them were trapped in 2019, Mugerwa reported.

"That was really concerning for me — that we may lose this species before we even get to know about it," the expert told CNN. 

As a result, in 2019, he founded the African Golden Cat Conservation Alliance that set its own snare. The international group of partners installed a camera trap system in the animal's range and is using artificial intelligence to help sort through the thousands of images collected. 

AI requires loads of energy, which is straining power grids and contributing to surging electricity prices. Goldman Sachs estimated that energy demand for data centers will increase by up to 175% by 2030 compared to 2023 levels. 

However, the African image sorting represents a fraction of the technology's expanding energy needs, and it provides an example of how AI can be leveraged to help the planet. 

Key data about golden cat numbers is more than 10 years old, with no population estimates. Mugerwa said he's had three brief sightings in his life. 

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"They're really, really difficult to see in the wild," he added. 

But with help from cameras and computers, more visuals are coming in. Experts now believe the cats to be scattered, counting 16 in one 38-square-mile zone in Uganda and Gabon. Populations are 50% higher in areas with hunting protections, according to Mugerwa. 

"We are dealing with a bushmeat crisis: the level of hunting ongoing in this forest is unsustainable and out of control," he said. "The species is being pushed to the edge of extinction in many of its range countries." 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed golden cats as vulnerable, but the species is classified as endangered in Uganda. IUCN noted habitat loss as a main threat, with 44% of the cat's range already gone. 

The University of Minnesota reported that predators play an "irreplaceable" role in ecosystems by keeping prey species in check. Their feeding habits have a trickle-down impact on many other plants and animals. That's why efforts to save the cats are important. 

Mugerwa helped to organize a community-based group of 8,000 families called Embaka, the native word for the species. The team includes reformed poachers and uses cameras to help prevent illegal hunting, according to CNN. 

Trail cameras are important tools for biologists, capturing footage of other rare species — such as sloth bears in India, and black bears in West Texas — that are at risk of extinction. 

Staying informed about how human actions affect wildlife can help you find ways to help, even without trail camera observations. Simply letting your yard grow naturally saves money and promotes vegetation that aids beleaguered native pollinators, for example. 

In Africa, Mugerwa told CNN that AI is even identifying individual cats, which is difficult due to subtle markings.

"That's really important, because now we are able to speak to number and density," he said.

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