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An artificial intelligence (AI) tool which has been trained to tell the difference between grey and red squirrels could be “an absolute game changer”, conservationists say.<\/b><\/p>\n
The system, called Squirrel Agent, has been trained on thousands of images of the animals allowing it to tell them apart with 97% accuracy, its developer says.<\/p>\n
It can then be used to automatically control access to squirrel feeders – with only reds being allowed into those containing food, and only greys into those where food has been replaced with contraceptive paste.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a real showcase of what AI can do,\u201d said Emma McClenaghan, co-founder of Genysys Engine, which developed the tool.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s working in real time to do a task that we don\u2019t have enough [human] volunteers to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Squirrel Agent is currently being tested in sites around the UK in conjunction with five wildlife charities. <\/p>\n
Genysys Engine hopes it will eventually be used much more widely not just with squirrels but with other species which would benefit from sophisticated digital monitoring.<\/p>\n
Ian Glendinning, from Northern Red Squirrels – one of the conservation groups involved in the trial – told the BBC that, for the animals he is trying to protect, help from technology was urgently needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are in the bar of the last chance saloon, and the landlord has just called last orders,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Red peril<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Grey squirrels are largely responsible for the huge decline in the numbers of red squirrels. <\/p>\n
This is partly because there are so many of them, and also because they can carry a virus which they have immunity to but is lethal to red squirrels. They arrived in the UK around 200 years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cRed squirrels are hanging on in Scotland and Ireland, and there are some island populations like Anglesey and the Isle of Wight”, explained Mr Glendinning.<\/p>\n
“But mainland England and Wales is in dire straits, and they will become extinct if we are unable to reverse this trend.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/240\/cpsprodpb\/6b40\/live\/d6767080-a760-11ef-aae4-5d98fcc52694.jpg.webp)
<\/picture><\/span>Genysys Engine<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n