Dimension Data and Cisco are expanding their anti-poaching Connected Conservation programme into Zambia, Kenya, and Mozambique to continue protecting rhino and the endangered African savanna elephant.
This move follows a successful pilot in the world-renowned Kruger National Park in South Africa in November 2015 with a 96% reduction in rhino poaching incidents.
“Many organisations have committed to protecting animals through various reactive initiatives, such as dehorning, or inserting sensors in the horn and under the subcutaneous layer of skin, explained Dimension Data Group Executive, Bruce Watson. “However, the problem with reactive initiatives is that by the time the reserve rangers reach the animal, it has been killed and the rhino horn or elephant tusks have been hacked off.”
With the Connected Conservation model, the technology is designed to proactively protect the land against humans. The animals are not touched, and are left to roam freely while a ‘layered’ effect of sophisticated technology, people and gadgets protect them.”
Cisco and Dimension Data’s vision is to replicate the solution in South Africa, Africa, and globally to protect all forms of endangered species including lion, pangolin, elephant, tigers in India and Asia, as well as sharks and sea rays in the ocean. The next project is already underway in an unnamed park in Zambia. This will be followed by Kenya and then Mozambique with a strong focus on protecting elephant.
According to a 2016 Great Elephant Census (GEC) carried out by the Seattle-based Vulcan Inc, which is the engine behind philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen’s network of organisations and initiatives, the savanna elephant population declined by 30% between 2007 and 2014, which equates to 144,000 elephants. The current rate of decline is 8% per year, primarily due to poaching. In Zambia, the elephant count was 21,758, with an 85%² carcass ratio in Siomi Ngwezi National Park, 3% for the rest of Zambia, and substantial declines along the Zambezi River.
The research also revealed that between 4,000 and 6,000 poachers were from households situated in the Game Management Areas (GMAs). This includes fisherman crossing large expanses of water into the game park.
A control room for Zambia’s special marine unit is being built to monitor operations across the lake and in the park, and a second marine unit powerboat will be deployed to assist with intercepts before poachers get to the animals.
Other equipment being deployed in Zambia includes fixed thermal cameras mounted on radio masts which creates a permanent, virtual barrier on the park’s perimeter. CCTV analytics deployed to create a virtual trip-line that automatically detects the movement of fishermen and boats on the lake. Outdoor Wi-Fi mounted on the radio masts so that handheld devices and thermal cameras used by the rangers and security teams.
“We’re also working with the Zambian local authorities and the fishing community to create a centralised digital fishing permit system that will monitor individuals who pose as fisherman but are actually poachers,” Watson said.
Cisco Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Karen Walker, said, “More than ever before, technology has given us the ability to change the world – not tomorrow, not someday, but now. At Cisco, we’re dedicated to making a difference by connecting the world and protecting the oldest and most vulnerable animals with some of the newest connectivity technology.
“Working closely with Dimension Data, we’ve established a secure, reliable network that operates 24 hours daily across game reserves in South Africa and Africa. We are extremely proud to be part of the expansion of Connected Conservation into Africa, to save more endangered species.”
Watson added: “In partnership with Cisco, our vision is to eliminate all forms of poaching globally through continuous innovation in technology to protect more vulnerable species in more countries.
