The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is using a mix of conventional and modern methods as it tries to figure out why the population of the gray fox has rapidly declined in the state.
Wildlife biologist Vince Evelsizer says they started the study by putting tracking devices on a couple of the animals. “We’ve been really lucky to have some private trappers help us out with that. And then lots of private landowners around the state help to report any gray foxes they see to us, and that’s been helpful,” Evelsizer says. “It’s just, we’re working with a very low number of gray foxes. And so it’s just hard to get many, but we’re going to keep trying here for a while.”
They are also reviewing photos from stationary trail cameras set out in areas where the animals live. “We’re just getting started with reviewing, organizing the photos from those trail cameras and have several to go through as in anywhere from 300 to 500,000 photos,” he says. Evelsizer says new AI technology is helping them look for clues in those thousands of photos. “AI is rapidly improving its accuracy in estimating species identification and is used, especially in the initial screenings of empty photos or critters that we don’t want, you know, non-target critters,” Evelsizer says.
He says DNR experts finish off the work after the AI review. “AI is going to help sort through a large majority of those photos and then humans will review the ones that are of interest to us with possible target animals in the photos,’ Evelsizer says. Evelsizer says they hope the information gained from tracking the gray fox and the photos will help them learn why their populations have dramatically dropped.