Conservationists believe that an AI tool trained to differentiate between grey and red squirrels could revolutionize their efforts. The tool, known as Squirrel Agent, has been trained on thousands of animal images, achieving 97% accuracy, according to its developer. It can automatically manage squirrel feeder access, allowing only red squirrels to access food, while grey squirrels find feeders containing contraceptive paste instead. Emma McClenaghan, co-founder of Gensys Engine, which developed the tool, describes it as a prime example of AI's capabilities. It performs tasks in real-time that lack sufficient human volunteers. Currently, Squirrel Agent is being tested across UK sites with five wildlife charities. Gensys Engine aims to expand its use beyond squirrels to other species that could benefit from advanced digital monitoring.

Ian Glendinning of Northern Red Squirrels, one of the trial's conservation groups, stressed the urgent need for technological assistance in protecting red squirrels. "We are in the last chance saloon, " Glendinning told the BBC. Grey squirrels are a major factor in the red squirrels' decline, both due to their numbers and because they carry a virus that, while harmless to them, is deadly to reds. Grey squirrels arrived in the UK around 200 years ago. Glendinning noted that red squirrels persist in Scotland, Ireland, and some islands like Anglesey and the Isle of Wight, but mainland populations in England and Wales are in serious danger of extinction if current trends persist. Preservation efforts are complicated by the fact that not all red squirrels are actually red. Other characteristics, such as tails, ears, size, and weight, help distinguish them from grey squirrels, even if their coloring is similar. Human observers find this detection process time-consuming, but Squirrel Agent uses AI to analyze these markers quickly and accurately determine the species. The AI can then take automated actions to enhance survival prospects by providing food or decrease reproduction chances by directing them to contraceptives.