AI Tool Aids Conservationists in Red Squirrel Preservation Efforts

An artificial intelligence (AI) system, trained to differentiate between grey and red squirrels, is being hailed as “an absolute game changer” by conservationists. The developer states that this system, named Squirrel Agent, has been taught using thousands of animal images, enabling it to distinguish between the two species with 97% accuracy. It can then autonomously regulate access to squirrel feeders, permitting only red squirrels into those containing food, and directing only grey squirrels to feeders where food has been substituted with contraceptive paste. Emma McClenaghan, co-founder of Genysys Engine, the company behind the tool, commented, “It’s a real showcase of what AI can do.” She further explained, “It’s working in real time to do a task that we don’t have enough [human] volunteers to do.” Squirrel Agent is currently undergoing trials at various locations across the UK, in collaboration with five wildlife charities. Genysys Engine anticipates that the technology will eventually be implemented more broadly, not only for squirrels but also for other species that could benefit from advanced digital monitoring. Ian Glendinning, representing Northern Red Squirrels – one of the conservation groups participating in the trial – conveyed to the BBC that technological assistance was urgently required for the animals he endeavors to protect. He remarked, “We are in the bar of the last chance saloon, and the landlord has just called last orders.” Grey squirrels are largely responsible for the significant decrease in red squirrel populations. This is partly due to their high numbers and their capacity to carry a virus that is harmless to them but lethal to red squirrels. They arrived in the UK approximately 200 years ago. “Red squirrels are hanging on in Scotland and Ireland, and there are some island populations like Anglesey and the Isle of Wight,” Mr. Glendinning clarified. He added, “But mainland England and Wales is in dire straits, and they will become extinct if we are unable to reverse this trend.” Efforts to conserve red squirrels are further complicated by the fact that, despite their name, not all red squirrels possess red fur. Other distinguishing features, including their tails, ears, size, and weight, can also differentiate them from grey squirrels – the vastly dominant population – even if their coloration is identical. The identification process is time-consuming for human observers, but Squirrel Agent utilizes AI’s capabilities to rapidly analyze all these markers and determine with an exceptionally high degree of accuracy which species is present. It can then automatically decide whether to enhance their survival chances by providing additional food or to reduce their likelihood of reproducing by guiding them towards contraceptives. Genysys Engine states that the next phase in the technology’s development is to advance beyond merely distinguishing between squirrel types to identifying individual animals. Emma McClenaghan explained that this will be accomplished by concentrating on their whiskers, which are unique to each animal. She noted, “Whiskers are like a human fingerprints.” By discerning the distinct characteristics of each creature’s whisker tips, as well as their base and length, she hopes AI will empower wildlife experts to track and monitor individual members of the population. She stated, “Over time this data will build up, allowing scientists and researchers to start tracking family lines.” There are already other instances where AI’s capacity to process vast quantities of data very quickly has proven valuable for conservationists. For example, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) employed this technology to analyze millions of photographs from a large area of Australia devastated by bushfires, with the objective of locating areas where animals had survived. The technology has also been adopted by hobbyists; a British man informed BBC News last year that he had devised a tool, dubbed the Furbinator 3000, to prevent foxes and badgers from soiling his garden in Surrey. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available.