Technology makes illegal trafficking harder
Illicit trade in animal parts of iconic species such as elephants and rhinoceroses is a highly lucrative part of environmental crime. Their demand in traditional East Asian medicine, for international trade in commercial goods and as exotic pets, and a desire for status symbols feed the poaching and illegal trade across the world. However, the latest technologies have come to the rescue of wildlife and made wildlife conservation easier and more precise. VETPAW shares some of the technologies that conservationists across the world are using to save wildlife.
- Acoustic Traps or “echo” technology consist of monolithic sensors that triangulate the source of suspicious sounds such as gunshots, chain saws, truck engines, blasts, or airplane engines and provide real-time information to rangers via a wireless network. Some are even capable of deploying drones or other unmanned aerial devices with GPS to collect evidence.
- Mobile Technology – hand-held devices linked through satellite communications – is empowering the general public to play a pivotal role in fighting the wildlife trade. Several apps are available in the market wherein the public can report any illegal activity involving wildlife.
- Micro Copters are universal aerial platforms equipped with GPS, compasses, altitude control, telemetry, and automatic systems. These gadgets can identify a position and hover as long as necessary to identify images, collect data, or calculate distances.
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are microchips that are implanted into specific animals to track their movements through the ground or mobile sensors. RFID captured location coordinates help identify an animal’s last position and greatly enhance rapid-response capacity in case the animal falls off-grid.
- Military-Style (Mesh) Digital Networks permit sensitive data to be transmitted quickly and safely without easily being monitored or hacked. Current mobile tech can be breached by poachers but Mesh networks operate through complex routing algorithms that essentially scramble data upon transmission and then decode it upon receipt. This allows for enough opportunity for rangers and conservation teams to communicate without the poachers listening in.
- Camera Traps with highly sophisticated digital cameras and image capture are being increasingly used to track poacher movements.
- Radio Collars with accelerometers can transmit information such as animal’s health and deviations in ranging patterns – suggesting the presence of poachers.
- Illegal Trade Databases today are overcoming the challenge of outdated data from limited sources, and are employing ways to be more flexible and involve input from multiple sources.
- Satellite Imaging is used to track illegal deforestation and protected area encroachment for the past decade. The link between illegally logged areas and the illicit wildlife trade has become increasingly evident. For instance, the ships that move contraband timber sometimes also transport illegal wildlife. The high-resolution images allow for tracking such activities.
- DNA testing can be used to identify wildlife body parts – ivory tusks, or rhino horns, for instance, that have been confiscated. The investigation technique enables the confirmation of the subspecies, country or region of origin, and other static data.
VETPAW Charity Ratings
VETPAW veterans have been training the local rangers to use the latest tech and methods to fight poaching. But an influx of such advanced technology would go a long way in enhancing the anti-poaching efforts in South Africa. Greater investment is needed to support the increased use of technology by national Governments, wildlife, and law enforcement agencies.
VETPAW believes in financial transparency. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it relies on donations to fulfill its missions, but all contributions to its cause are tax-deductible as charity donations. All donations that VETPAW receives go toward:
- Stopping illegal wildlife trade
- Protecting endangered animals
- Providing work to unemployed veterans
- Supporting African communities
VETPAW - Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife
Founded in 2013, VETPAW is a non-profit organization and a community of US war veterans dedicated to protecting African wildlife and training local African rangers in the war against poaching.
