Camera trapping is a popular method for surveying wildlife populations, but analyzing the data requires tagging, categorizing and counting photos before you can start. As technology increases, so does the data load! 

We developed custom AI models that identified white-tailed deer in camera photos, sorted out photos with collars or ear tags and then counted each deer in the photo by sex (male, female, unknown) and age class (adult vs. fawn). 

We found a 400% time savings compared to manual tagging with MegaDetector!

The Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri) is considered a threatened species in Texas, and its status on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List is currently under review. Using 11 years of data, we modeled abundance, population trends, annual survival, and inter-loma movement using an open-population spatial capture-recapture model to assess tortoise population trends and opportunities for improved management.

Paper accepted at Journal of Wildlife Management, coming soon!

Expert elicitation is a common tool used in species status assessments where experts are asked to estimate probabilities when empirical data is missing or poor quality. But just how accurate are experts? To answer this question, we helped researchers at the University of Florida model black bear home range size and density across their entire range. To deal with the massive computational resources needed for this analysis, we designed workable sparse matrix SCR models in NIMBLE to assess bear density and home range size at the local, regional and range-wide scale. 

Working in partnership with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, we estimated infection rates, abundance, and population dynamics for the white-tailed deer population in Northern Arkansas. 

Gaya HE, Jorge MH, Jorge LA, Ruder MG, D’Angelo GJ, Chandler RB, et al. (2026) White-tailed deer population declines in a high-prevalence chronic wasting disease region of Arkansas, USA. PLoS One 21(1): e0340070. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0340070

Read the full Arkansas report here

We constructed an IPM for a coyote population in South Carolina, USA using a combination of howl surveys, scat deposition surveys, baited camera traps, non-invasive genetic scat sampling, and counts of coyote removals. 

Coyotes are thriving in the Southeast USA! 

Working in partnership with NCASI staff, we developed an R ShinyApp that allows member companies to visualize future climate scenarios at individual land parcels in the United States. The application included multiple climate projections and visualizes the suitability (both present and future) of any area for a wide variety of tree species.