War against poaching goes hi-tech
PHOTO | COURTESY Kenya Wildlife Service rangers on patrol. KWS has started using technology in an effort to curb poaching.
What you need to know:
- The Kenya Wildlife Service is installing an alarm system that alerts rangers of poaching by text message
Technology will now be employed in the war against poaching after more than 360 elephants were killed last year.
The Kenya Wildlife Service is installing an alarm system that alerts rangers of poaching by text message. A family of 11 elephants was killed in Tsavo National Park two weeks ago.
Officials at KWS said the system, connected to fences around parks and wildlife sanctuaries, will reduce poaching by up to 90 per cent.
When an animal interferes with the fence or a person tries to tear it down, the alarm emits a loud sound which is relayed to the security switchboard as an SMS and shows the location.
New initiative
KWS official Patrick Omondi said the new initiative would be effective in conservancies only as the cost of installing the alarm system in all parks would be prohibitive.
Mr Omondi said that technology would be a key tool in the fight against poachers.
“For example, Kenya adopted DNA-profiling technology from South Africa called the rhinoceros DNA index. If a rhino horn is intercepted in any part of the world, KWS can profile the root of the horn,” he said.
The KWS official said there had been an upsurge in poaching in the last five years.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) says an international smuggling ring is behind the increased killing of elephants and rhinos.
