Number 13 Colorized Horns Rhino horn is a sought-after product on the
black market due to beliefs in traditional Eastern medicine that it cures ailments or
that it works as an aphrodisiac.
Since rhino horn is made out of keratin, the same substance as human fingernails, ingesting
it hasn’t been proven effective in any way by conventional science.
Still, a few pounds of ground up rhino horn can be worth upwards of $20,000 on illegal
markets.
This is a life-changing fortune in many of Africa’s developing areas and the main reason
why poachers target the animals.
The Rhino Rescue Project, in 2011, employed an anti-poaching method that involved inserting
a mixture of pink dye and pesticides inside the horns of living rhinos.
The procedure involved drilling into the horn, which is painless for the animals.
It’s also non-lethal for people that end up consuming the ground-up horn but, depending
on the ingested amount, they might suffer from nausea, stomach aches, diarrhea and even
convulsions.
Aside from colorizing the horns, the team also introduced three radio-frequency identification
chips to help track the animals.
Number 12 Alarm Fences In recent years, some game reserves have opted
for advanced, high-tech fencing in critical areas.
The alarm fences are meant to keep endangered species and those who would hunt them well
away from each other.
Whenever the fence is tampered with, it will automatically send a text notification to
one of the rangers.
This way, the authorities can go check the affected area directly.
Since most games reserves are quite large, it’s implausible that the system can be
incorporated everywhere and may be restricted to the most important points.
Still, not knowing which fences have these smart alarms might make poachers think twice
about tampering with them.
Number 11 Drone Surveillance Most of the natural reserves where poachers
operate cover massive territories, which are hard to patrol thoroughly on foot.
Ranger groups, in some areas, have chosen to incorporate air drones as a surveillance
tool.
While still cost-sensitive for wide-scale implementation, the high vantage point that
this form of surveillance offers is invaluable.
In the Madhya Pradesh region of India, the Panna Tiger Reserve is currently using drones
to protect its feline population.
Aside from its prized coat, virtually every part of a tiger can be sold as a black market
product, since it’s believed to have miraculous properties.
Increased air monitoring effectively acts as a deterrent for poachers that target the
big cats.
Number 10 Individual Effort While surveillance technology is steadily
becoming the most effective means of combating poaching, one fundamental aspect of the fight
is and always will be individual effort.
With each contribution, in whatever form, the global stand against illegal hunting gets
stronger.
Actions can range from signing petitions, to making donations and by volunteering to
work with wildlife conservation associations.
Individuals should properly vet the organizations to which they’re contributing.
Some of these include World Wildlife Fund, the International Anti-Poaching Foundation
and the Wildlife Conservation Society, among many others.
There are already international bans on the trade of ivory, rhino and other animal products
that often come from endangered species.
Within this framework, individual efforts combine towards common goals of raising awareness
and reducing the global black market demand.
Number 9 Anti-Poaching Dogs Dogs have a reputation of being man’s most
trustworthy companion.
It’s a quality that benefits endangered animals as well, in the form of anti-poaching
dogs.
They’re agile, smart as well as tenacious, and, thanks to their remarkable sense of smell,
well-suited for tracking down illegal hunters.
In Kenya, the animals are fitted with ballistic body armor as they protect rhino and elephant
populations.
In Ecuador, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society teamed up with local police and created
K-9 units which have been very helpful in preserving the fragile Galapagos ecosystem.
Number 8 Acoustic Traps Logging might not be directly associated with
poaching, but it affects wildlife just the same.
In Borneo, the Rainforest Connection used a network of acoustic traps, constructed out
of recycled cellphones that were fitted with solar panels and antennas.
Mounted throughout the forest, they recorded and transmitted sounds associated with illegal
activity to a cloud server.
These sounds included gun shots, engines, explosions or chainsaw noises.
Number 7 Anti-Poaching AI In recent years, Intel has created an AI system
that was implemented in cameras to help detect and arrest poachers.
TrailGuard AI camera traps are pencil-sized devices, distributed around wildlife reserves,
which can go 18 months without a recharge.
Using Intel’s neural network algorithms the camera more accurately identifies poachers
than any other type of movement taking place in front of it.
The pictures are sent to park headquarters via satellite networks, long-range radio or
GSM.
The technology had a field test at Tanzania’s Grumeti reserve, where it contributed to the
arrest of 30 poachers and the seizure of over a ton of bush meat.
Number 6 WildLeaks There are regions in Africa that have chosen
to take up arms in a literal war against poachers.
The language of violence is one understood well by the illegal hunters so this can be
an effective tactic.
Yet, the escalation can bring about significant loss of life, since poachers are often funded
by elements of organized crime.
They can be well-armed, with submachine guns and AK-47s, which is why information is a
key element in a clearer and less bloody fight.
This is where WildLeaks comes in.
It was founded by security expert Andreas Costa, the same man who discovered that East
African terror group al-Shabaab was illegally smuggling ivory to fund its operations.
WildLeaks uses Tor technology to enable the anonymity of its users who give tips on poaching
activities on an international scale.
Experts analyze the anonymous leaks and relay the information to the proper authorities.
So far, WildLeaks has received tips on everything from illegal ivory sales in Hong Kong to wolf
killings near Yellowstone.
Within the WildLeaks global community, virtually anyone can report illegal activity and perhaps
provide a vital edge towards ending major poaching operations.
Number 5 Synthetic Rhino Horns In an effort to protect rhinos, the Namibian
government chose to dehorn the animals altogether.
The idea was that, by removing the temptation, poachers would no longer kill the rhinos.
Its efficiency was questionable.
It turns out that hunters will still shoot the animals out of spite.
Moreover, removing the horn basically leaves the rhinos defenseless against predators.
Another proposition was to flood the black market with synthetic rhino horn.
It’s a basic economic principle that creating excess of a product diminishes its value.
A biotech company, called Pembient, suggested that artificial replicas could be synthetized
from real horn and introduced to rattle the market.
The bioengineered horn would have a registered genetic code, similar to the DNA of living
rhinos that’s in the Rhino DNA Index System.
While many were skeptical, decoy horns have gained supports in recent years but the prevailing
argument is that success depends on how good the copies actually are.
It would only work if the copies are perfect.
If they’re distinguishable, then demand for the genuine product might skyrocket.
Recent developments indicate horsehair is the most promising material when it comes
to faking rhino horns.
Number 4 DNA Tracking DNA tracking is growing in popularity as a
means of combating poaching.
It entails finding the correspondent in a region’s geography based on DNA samples
taken from confiscated black market products.
It may sound complex, but the working principle is rather simple to grasp.
The Loxodonta Localizer, for example, matches the genetic sequences from poached ivory to
those from its database.
In elephants, mitochondrial DNA is passed to the offspring only from females.
Since elephants live in matrilineal herds, females tend to stay together, which is useful
towards tracking.
This means that, within days of recovering poached ivory, DNA analysis will reveal its
point of origin.
It’s vital information, particularly if poachers are operating in new or unexpected
regions.
In another effort, for nearly two decades, laboratories at the Center for Conservation
Biology at the University of Washington have been examining elephant excrement.
They analyze the genotype found in the feces and match it against poached ivory, thus determining
where the killed elephant had come from originally.
Knowing the region early, helps identify the newest hotspots of poaching activity.
Number 3 Robotic Decoys For a number of years, North American authorities
have been using robotic decoys to trick and capture poachers.
The taxidermy bots are remotely controlled by an operator hiding nearby.
They can be made to move parts of their bodies and behave like the real animal, whether it’s
a bear, wolf, turkey or deer.
Once an unsuspecting poacher takes their shot at the robot, officers catch them in the act,
with evidence in hand for prosecution.
The durable decoys take little damage and their engines are easily replaceable.
Wildlife agencies can make up to $30,000 in fines per decoy, thus making them highly effective.
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Number 2 Mobile Veterinary Units The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is best
known for its Orphans’ Projects, through which they take in orphaned elephant and rhino
calves and care for them until they’re ready to be released back in the wild.
One efficient tool that the trust has at its disposal is a fleet of mobile veterinary units
that work in conjunction with Kenya’s Wildlife Service.
They locate animals that have been injured by poachers and are in need of medical help.
First responders are trained to deal with any medical emergency from snares, spears
and arrows to gunshot wounds.
Whenever mobile veterinary units aren’t available in time, their responsibilities
are picked up by Sky Vets.
It’s another of the trust’s initiatives through which Kenyan vets are promptly flown
anywhere in the country to treat injured animals.
Number 1 SMART System The Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool,
or SMART, is a system that does a simple, yet essential job.
Already implemented in over 55 countries, SMART helps rangers track their patrolling
tendencies and concentrate their efforts to the areas of greatest need.
While patrolling, a ranger can upload any signs of poaching to the platform.
In time, they gain a better perspective on what areas deserve more of their attention.
In less than five years of the software’s implementation, the average patrol length
has increased by approximately 50%, meaning that rangers are covering more ground than
ever before.
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