The Better to Hear You With

As apex predators and a keystone species, wolves are the only thing standing between a healthy ecosystem and catastrophic disruptions in many regions. But the presence of wolves is not welcomed by all. In addition to keeping the populations of other animals in check, they can also cause damage in nearby communities where they are known to kill livestock and occasionally even harm humans. Can’t we all just get along?

Left to our own devices, probably not. With the help of some cutting-edge technology, however, our complex interrelationship is looking a whole lot brighter. Grizzly Systems, a company based in Montana, has developed a tiny artificial intelligence (AI)-powered device called a GrizCam. These GrizCams, roughly the size of a cell phone, can be deployed in the wilderness where they can monitor the locations of animal populations of interest — such as wolves — to assist in shaping conservation practices, and also to serve as a deterrent when a wild animal strays too close to humans.