Because the Alberta government currently lists the species as “undetermined” – meaning there is not enough data to judge its health – the team’s main goal is to gather solid evidence of population trends.

Unlike Richardson’s ground squirrels, which can thrive in pastures and golf courses, Franklin’s ground squirrels need natural habitats with dense brush and forested areas.

Haines explains that human conversion of these natural lands into farms and urban neighborhoods has directly removed the squirrel’s preferred habitat, causing the species to disappear from much of its historic range.

To fill the data gap, the project asks anyone who sees a Franklin’s ground squirrel to upload a photo or sound recording to iNaturalist; since 2022, 188 observations have been recorded through this citizen‑science effort.

If enough information is collected, researchers hope to change the squirrel’s status to at‑risk and secure protection measures, but they need continued public help to track where the animals still survive.