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The UK’s endangered red squirrel population could have an unlikely savior – an AI detection program.
Genysys Engine, an AI research company in Northern Ireland, has developed a program which identifies red and gray squirrels with 97 percent accuracy.
Red squirrels are native to the UK and have been there for thousands of years, whereas their gray counterparts were brought to the country from the US in the 19th century. Both species compete for the same resources and spread diseases, including squirrel pox, which is fatal for the reds but not grays, and so the red population has dramatically dropped.
The government estimates that there are now only a few hundred thousand of them, down from 3.5 million. This means that they are classified as endangered.
The gray population is still booming, however, with an estimated 2.7 million in the country.
How is AI saving the red squirrels?
The AI program, named Squirrel Agent, is able to tell the difference between the species of squirrel and act accordingly. If a gray is detected, conservationists are notified. They are able to set traps and send contraceptives for population control.
Similarly, if a red squirrel is found, feeders can be opened and medicine can be delivered.
Squirrel Agent is currently being tested by Bangor University, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Ulster Wildlife. However, the chief executive of Genysys Engine Emma McClenaghan originally started working on the project to entertain her pet border collie.
“He just loves watching squirrels like all dogs and we wanted eventually, given we have a big window at the back, something for him to watch,” she said to Sky News. “So it was something we were going to build just for ourselves.”
The program will allow researchers to gain a deeper understanding of squirrel populations and save conservationists countless hours of checking traps and feeders. The concept can also be applied to other wildlife situations.
Feature image credit: Pexels
