The Wildlife Morbidity and Mortality Event Alert System is designed to track threats to California鈥檚 wildlife by tapping into data from rehabilitation groups across the state. The rehab centers nurse sick and injured wildlife back to health. Since they work closest to sick and dying animals, these groups are the best source of early warning signs about potential health threats.
Dr. Pranav Pandit, a researcher on the project, says the new system sifts through massive amounts of data.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great that this is coming all together and really contributing and giving us some great intelligence about population health," Dr. Pandit said.
The surveillance system uses machine learning and other advanced technology to scan data from wildlife rehabilitation centers across the state. The rehab centers generate a lot of raw data that is stored in computers scattered across the state. Dr. Pandit says this new system allows that data to be analyzed and put to good use.
鈥淏asically, this is very complementary to all of the other active services that are going on for variant species in California,鈥� said Dr. Pandit.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is already using the system for conservation efforts.