Counter Poaching Efforts

[Toko]

http://mogolpos.co.za/mapungubwe-new-ho ... king-dogs/

Mapungubwe — New home for tracking dogs

Leoni Kruger


Mapungubwe National Park received two specially trained tracking dogs on Saturday 30 January during a special canine handover ceremony held at the park.
The project is a combined effort by the Honorary Rangers together with remarkable assistance from Woolworths South Africa and it was originally initiated by Niekie de Beer.
Tracking dogs, Stacey and Mascot, was handed over to their new bosses, rangers David and Mahumane (their surnames are withheld due to security reasons).
The two rangers became part of an elite group of dog handlers which will assist the rangers in conserving Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site for generations to come.
Louis Lemmer, Chairperson of the National Executive Committee of SANParks Honorary Rangers, said that it is important to understand how special the National Parks are. “The heritage parks, like Mapungubwe, are for our children. Thanks to the staff members for the good job that you do” he said.
He said that the parks bring in visitors and tourists therefore one must never underestimate the importance of SA’s parks.
He said that South Africa has a rich heritage and it must be looked after. “The two well-trained dogs are here for a very special purpose, because poachers steal from our country and our people and to smuggle is to steal from SA’s own coffers. The dogs will help to protect the park and we hope they will make a positive difference” he said. He continued by saying that Honorary Rangers are unpaid volunteers who help to promote the parks and they do it with passion, because they know how important it is for the country.
He had a special word of thanks to the Waterberg region for their involvement in all the parks. “Today is an example of how different people can come together to achieve something. Today’s process started in the Cape at the Table Mountain region of Honorary Rangers when Woolworths indicated that they wanted to get involved in some way. The topic of the trail dogs came up and today it is a reality. This is an example of SANParks working together with interested parties to make a dream come true. By standing together, our country is so much better off because what happens to one happens to all. Please support our parks for our children, not for us” he concluded.
Thereafter Paulina Phophe, Interpretation Officer at Mapungubwe, managed the kids’ session explaining to the children how conservation works and what it means to the country. She also explained to them that the dogs will assist the park in its conservation efforts. After this the Alldays Youth Choir and Arts group gave performances that were all related to conservation.
Susan Otto, Waterberg Honorary Ranger said the handover of the dogs was an extremely proud moment for them – “these dogs are so important to us in order to ensure that we can preserve this area. Keep up the good work” she said. She also thanked Woolworths for the wonderful gift – you make it easier for the rangers to ensure there is less poaching in this area.
Park Manager Conrad Strauss said that David, Mahumane and the team ensure an elite group of dog handlers in Mapungubwe. “If you look after the dogs well, they will look after you. This team has all it needs now to make Mapungubwe the best park in South Africa – that is what we are aiming at” he said.
David and Mhumane received their final badges from the trainers which means that they are now officially able to train their own dogs.
What does a day in the life of a ranger dog look like?
Depending on the breed of the dog, as well as where the dog works, it might be out on patrol in the field with rangers or on standby with reaction forces ready to track poachers if an incident takes place. There are also dogs working at the entrance gates of parks to search vehicles entering or exiting the park.
How does a dog find poachers in an environment such as Mapungubwe?
Dogs have a highly sensitive olfactory system. They are able to discriminate between human scents. Scent-carrying skin cells drop from a living human leaving a trace that dogs can follow. Tracking dogs work on leads through a variety of terrain where human visual tracking might not be possible.
They are able to successfully outmanoeuvre counter-measures where poachers might try to confuse dogs. This makes rangers’ dogs incredibly useful and important members of the counter-poaching teams.

[Lisbeth]

to Woolworths ( They can detract a nice sum of money from the taxes next year )

[Toko]

https://www.sanparks.org/about/news/def ... p?id=56596

Travelling to Kruger next week? Have your say on our precious rhinos

Date: 2016-02-17

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Dear visitor

As a guest of the Kruger National Park you may be aware of the plight of our rhinos. During your upcoming visit to the Park, we would love to meet up with you to hear your views on this issue. SANParks has taken hands with a group of organisations represented below on a project to find out how tourists feel about our rhinos being poached.

If you are going to be at any of the following camps during 22 - 25 February 2016, you can "HAVE YOUR SAY" by participating in a one-on-one conversation or a group discussion with representatives from the University of Pretoria.

Berg-en-Dal
Lower Sabie
Skukuza
Pretoriuskop
Biyamiti Bushveld Camp
Please send an email to Prof Berendien Lubbe from the University of Pretoria at berendien.lubbe@up.ac.za if you are interested in participating.

Let's do what we can, while we can, to protect our RHINOS, and with your help, working together, we may save one more RHINO.

Please "HAVE YOUR SAY"

Prof Berendien Lubbe
Head: Division Tourism Management
Department of Marketing Management
University of Pretoria
Pretoria
Tel: +27 12 4204102
Cell: +27824521743
Fax: +27124203349
E-mail: berendien.lubbe@up.ac.za

[Toko]

http://www.peaceparks.org/news.php?year ... q=&s=&l=10


ADVANCED AERIAL SUPPORT FOR EZEMVELO KZN WILDLIFE RHINO RESERVES
24 FEBRUARY 2016

Rhino protection efforts in Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife (Ezemvelo) reserves received vital support this month with the launch of the Air Shepherd UAV project – a partnership between the Lindbergh Foundation, Peace Parks Foundation and Ezemvelo.

This project funds and coordinates an initial 14-month plan for the operational testing and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a valuable aerial support tool to assist counter-poaching teams on the ground.

As poachers become increasingly sophisticated, conservation agencies in turn have to level the playing field with technology that transcends human limitations and spatial challenges. Says Ezemvelo CEO, Dr David Mabunda: "Ezemvelo is excited about the recent launch of the Air Shepherd UAV project. It is my belief that to fight the scourge of rhino poaching, we need to be more innovative and never cease to investigate the potential of emerging technologies. Although there is no one method that will be the silver bullet that puts an end to poaching, UAVs usefully complement the multi-pronged counter-poaching strategies that Ezemvelo is already implementing. To succeed in this war, Ezemvelo depends on partnerships with various organisations that have time and means to assist in the development of new methods to fight poaching. Such partnerships are critical, as they enable Ezemvelo to redirect its resources to other areas of conservation, whilst our partners focus on coming up and piloting new strategies to fight this plague.”

The Air Shepherd operations will see a variety of aerial platforms flown in high risk poaching areas by qualified and licensed UAV pilots. The UAVs are fitted with cameras and sensors that deliver real-time data directly to a central command centre, where trained visual data analysts interpret the data – providing actionable intelligence to ranger forces.

UAVs can cover vast poaching hotspot areas silently and safely from the sky, using clear infrared and thermal imaging technology at night, which is when most incursions occur. Much of the value of proactive detection systems such as UAVs, though, lies in its capability to reduce the level of danger that rangers are exposed to. CEO of Peace Parks Foundation, Werner Myburgh, explains: “Whilst patrolling with very limited visibility at night, rangers are constantly subjected to the threat of wild animals and armed poachers. Through effective UAV aerial support, rangers can be guided directly to the threat and receive advanced warning of possible armed contact situations. This will prevent the unnecessary loss of human and animal life.”

Mr Myburgh adds: New technologies form an integral part of the future of conservation and we congratulate Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for their continued pioneering spirit to address the wildlife crime crisis. We welcome the support from the Lindbergh Foundation in this endeavour and appeal to the general public to join hands in initiatives that aim to save the rhino”

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http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/dcea90004b ... n-20160307


Monday 7 March 2016 06:32
SABC

Sunday night the R16 million pilot projects have been shown off to the media in the Kruger National Park. (SABC)

The South African National Parks (SANParks) has once again displayed its use of drones in a night vision aerial support programme to fight wildlife crime, including rhino poaching.

On Sunday night the R16 million pilot projects have been shown off to the media in the Kruger National Park.

Drones, or small remote controlled aircraft, take visuals of suspected poachers and send them to a control centre.

The CEO of UAV Drone Solutions, which controls the aircraft, Otto Werdmuller von Eigg, says the system sends GPS signals to rangers.

“We are enabling the rangers to have an ability airtime which they have never had before, we are giving them an aerial support at night. We are able to allow the rangers to walk safely at night and to we keep them away from dangerous animals,” says von Eigg.

He says they can guide rangers in onto the poachers if we identify the GPS coordinates is remote controlled.

“So we can fly, we set the drone on the cruise and we then have a look. We can pan the camera up and down and if we found something interesting we can put the aircraft into the loiter,” he adds.

[Lisbeth]

Two sisters, eight countries, 6,000km, one mission - save the rhino - See more at:

BUY NO RHINO

[Flutterby]

Just a pity that not all are so dedicated.

https://vimeo.com/158929235

[Lisbeth]

He most likely is, but this is a publicity video clip

How dry the park looks

[Richprins]

Mr Maggs is one of the best, a more honest and humble committed gentleman one would rarely encounter!

[Lisbeth]

Boots on the ground in Kruger National Park

To discover what is working in the fight to save our rhinos...........