I kind of like the old system where years were given a descriptive name. Last year, 2023, could be called the year of the Great Evacuation Kerfuffle.

Remember when the city kept insisting that there would be no evacuation under any circumstances, and we were all supposed to shelter in place? Then GNWT employees started to leave en masse, and we were suddenly given a few hours to leave.

This year, 2024, could be called the Wildlife Invasion. It seems bears, wolves and even turkey vultures are circling the city, and foraging in residential neighbourhoods well within city limits. If you ever check the Facebook page 'Lost and Found Pets,' even resident dogs and cats are wandering the city freely and if you read the pages for 'Yellowknife Rants and Raves,' a small army of people are wandering around, searching vehicles and stealing anything that isnSA国际影视传媒檛 nailed down. One hears sirens wailing up and down Franklin Avenue at all hours of the day and night. Maybe we should rename the street Siren Alley.

With the constant improvements in electronics, computers, surveillance cameras, databases, AI and HI (HI being human intelligence), itSA国际影视传媒檚 only a matter of time until we will be able to track and identify wildlife and human life. Imagine getting a call from a computer that says SA国际影视传媒淗ey, your dog Bozo has been spotted on the loose and he is currently on Knutsen Cresent eating garbage. You will be fined $100 for this bylaw infraction and if you donSA国际影视传媒檛 get your dog in the next 20 minutes and clean up the mess, you will be fined.SA国际影视传媒�

This could be the start of a new era. Imagine having an app you could tune in to to see all the details of the wildlife in town. It might say, SA国际影视传媒淕ood morning. There are currently three bears in the city. The one walking down your street is Bruno. He is almost two years old, so basically a teenager out exploring the world, and this is his first time in the city so heSA国际影视传媒檚 a little nervous, amazed at what heSA国际影视传媒檚 seeing and curious. Meanwhile, Charlie is at Tin Can Hill area. He is six years old, hungry and hangs around the outskirts of town but is seldom seen because he is wary of humans. The real problem bear is Martha, who is very hungry and knocking over garbage cans in Northlands. The wildlife officers are on their way. Other news at the dump, there is a flock of 80 sandhill cranes getting ready to migrate south.

Imagine if you could look at a map of the city showing all the fox dens and the foraging paths or routes for all the foxes. I suspect there are a lot more foxes in town than people realize. Also imagine a map showing all of the birds' nests in town, or one that could show all the dogs and cats wandering around.

The technology to do something like this is being developed now, and, sooner or later, it will be put in place. As for humans and human activity, it would be interesting to know how many public and private surveillance cameras are in town, and the number just keeps growing, as do the random acts of violence, thefts and vandalism. Apparently, the country with the most surveillance cameras is China with more than 200 million of them. That is one heck of a lot of surveillance.

In the great surveillance camera race, we seem to be lagging. Several years ago, someone wanted to put up a couple cameras downtown, but it caused a minor furor. I would rather be watching the wildlife than the people, but the people seem to cause more trouble.

With cameras, drones and a little study, we could certainly learn a whole lot more about wildlife, the threats to it and the threats it occasionally poses to us. Welcome to the brave new world of surveillance.