In 2015, it was estimated that poachers in South Africa killed a rhino every 8 hours. This equates to 3 rhinos a day and has had devastating effects on the country's wildlife population. Since then, the country has continuously improved its conservation efforts, but the situation remains critical. 80% of the world's rhinos live in South Africa and today, poachers still kill a rhino every 15 hours. Although this is a step up from the 2015 figures, it is clear that there is still work to be done. With the rhino population steadily declining due to poaching, rhinos are at risk of extinction by 2025. Hearing these numbers in 2015, NTT Ltd. partnered with Cisco to join the fight against poachers and launch Connected Conservation. . The initiative uses smart technology solutions, such as sensors and thermal cameras, to proactively track the movement of people. After its initial launch in a private game reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa, the project was successful in reducing poaching by 96% in its first two years of operation. As a result, Connected Conservation has now expanded into additional reserves in South Africa and Zambia, and worked with the Northern Rangelands Trust to launch the project in northern Kenya. The technology is now being powered by six conservancies in northern Kenya, covering more than 62,000 acres of land, which is home to 14% of Kenya's rhinos.
Tracking the movement of people
The connected conservation solution ushers in a new era of conservation efforts, following the movement of people rather than the animals themselves. Every day, the reservations see endless streams of people in and out of the neighborhood, from tourists to staff to vendors. Without the proper technology to monitor this movement, there was no way to detect who was trespassing into the reserve and posing a potential poaching threat. Therefore, the Connected Conservation solution uses the IoT to detect people in the conservation areas it protects and helps prevent any poaching activity. Rangers are notified in advance of any potential threats, allowing them to deploy security teams to patrol the specified area by sharing exact coordinates via mobile devices and alarm systems. The pilot project reduced ranger response time from 30 minutes to 7 minutes anywhere in the private reserve. By tracking poachers, unlike the rhinos themselves, the initiative does not restrict the animals, but rather allows them to roam freely in their natural habitat. By proactively granting this freedom, while protecting land and animals, the initiative is the first of its kind. In addition to leading to a decrease in poaching numbers, this approach also reduces stress or disruption to the rhinos. In the past, we have seen animals endangered because they are fitted with body sensors or have their horns removed to deter poachers, while innovative Connected Conservation technology ensures the animals remain undisturbed.The technology behind the initiative
Specifically, the solution developed a high limit of physical and virtual security using a combination of various technologies. These include data analytics, multi-screen communication, IT infrastructure, managed services, biometric scanning, CCTV cameras, magnetic sensors, and an area network. point-to-multipoint reservation. To monitor and locate the animals themselves, the rangers use cameras and thermal imaging, which means they can track them from a distance. In addition to supporting anti-poaching efforts, thermal imaging also helps rangers monitor the health of rhinos in Kenya. For example, with cameras placed at water points, rangers can see where the rhinos are, how healthy they are, and even if they are behaving in unusual ways, such as pregnancy or illness. In Kenya, the initiative also plans to connect the six conservancies with wireless technology solutions, which will help park rangers easily communicate with each other. Enhanced communication allows teams to quickly report unusual activity, such as suspicious behavior on nearby government highways. It also allows reserves to stop potential poacher intrusions before they multiply on their sites. Enhanced Wi-Fi and local area networks have also improved communication between teams on the ground and in the air, meaning all bases are covered when a threat is detected. While all the elements are critical to the success of the solution, data analysis plays a critical role. The Connected Conservation Initiative uses a software tool called EarthRanger, which collects, integrates, and presents real-time, already-available data about a conservation area. By combining this data with existing field reports, EarthRanger can provide a unified view of activity in the protected area, as well as monitoring threats like deforestation and climate change. With this information, rangers can spot trends and patterns to help prevent poaching before the threat occurs. Additionally, teams can also leverage the data to support local communities by alerting them to any potential human-animal conflicts.Revolutionizing Conservation
Connected curation shows that technology can really do great things. The project has had a huge impact on the reserves themselves and the surrounding communities. Prior to the initiative, Kenyan park rangers had limited access to connectivity, cameras and mobile devices. Thanks to technology from NTT and Cisco, teams can now work proactively to stop poachers and protect animals. In addition to dramatically improving conservation efforts, the initiative also hopes to work with local communities to educate them on how technology can protect the local area and the animals that live there. Ultimately, the goal of connected conservation is to end poaching through new technological solutions. No doubt it will take time; however, it is promising to see the progress that has been made in the last 5 years and exciting to see how it will develop further in the future. Finally, more companies should consider whether they can support goal-focused projects like connected conservation and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In addition to helping create a better future, doing good is also good for business; Companies want to work with companies that are changing the world, and it's satisfying for employees to work on projects that are actually changing the environment. I am extremely proud of what Connected Conservation has accomplished so far and we will continue to support reserves to reduce poaching.- Ruth Rowan, marketing director at NTT.