Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Expert systems, a new computer field, is presented as a method to make computers more useful and professionally relevant. Expert systems technology is discussed and is demonstrated to be available and affordable. A typical wildlife damage control problem is presented: species identification of a burrowing pest from a verbal description of a mound or burrow. Development of the expert system, BURROW, is outlined in step-by-step fashion, from statement of the problem, through translating knowledge into rules, to testing and review. Emphasis is placed on encouraging others to write simple expert systems to solve routine problems.