AI squirrel watcher deployed to protect endangered red squirrels

AI is currently being tested to protect the UK’s critically endangered red squirrel population.

The Agent Squirrel artificial intelligence, which is being tested in the UK, detects different types of squirrels based on their chins, ears and tails, according to Emma McClenaghan, CEO of Genysys Engine, which developed the program.

According to the developers, it can distinguish between proteins with 97% accuracy.

While artificial intelligence is being used to detect animals across the UK, like puffins on the Isle of May in ScotlandAgent Squirrel goes even further and reacts when it detects different types of squirrels.

When grays are detected, push notifications are sent to conservationists’ phones, traps are activated, and contraceptives are delivered to keep the gray population under control.

When the AI ​​detects a red squirrel, it can activate feeders or give medications.

Since Victorians introduced gray squirrels in the 1870s, Britain’s red squirrel population has fallen from around 3.5 million to several hundred thousand, according to the government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency.

By comparison, the population of gray squirrels is estimated at 2.7 million, surpassing their red cousins ​​in size, territory and food.

Grays can also carry a disease called squirrel pox, which is fatal to red squirrels.

Although the squirrel agent is now used throughout the UK, McClenaghan and his partner originally invented it to increase the local squirrel population for their border collies.

“He loves watching squirrels, like all dogs, and in the end we wanted to because we have a big window at the back so he would have something to look at,” she told Sky Information.

“So it was something we were going to build just for ourselves.”

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Five organizations are currently trialling artificial intelligence, including Bangor University, Scottish Wildlife Belief and Ulster Wildlife.

Soon, Agent Squirrel will begin identifying individual squirrels by analyzing their whiskers.

“A mustache is like a person’s fingerprint,” McClenaghan said.

“So the idea is to identify each squirrel individually, not just if it’s red, but you can say, ‘This is Sally the squirrel, her father was Ben, and she traveled to Scotland via England.’

“This way we can get a little more data on conservation.”