Our partner in the Kalahari is a vast reserve, so more cameras are needed to cover more areas where rhinos are moving. The terrain does not allow for natural bottle necking which would normally force poachers into a small area, therefore cameras are set in lines in hotspot areas to catch poachers walking past. Furthermore the cameras are in remote areas and can capture a lot of essential data to help with rhino movement and overall ecological monitoring. Every photo captured is viewed and any animal that passes is captured onto Earth Ranger, a software tool that helps protected area managers monitor their land and wildlife.
Our ongoing support of our partner in the Kalahari is fundamental in keeping their rhinos safe. This spring, they reached out with requests for smaller, but no less important tools to add to their anti-poaching toolbox. We jumped at the chance to provide additional equipment for their APU, understanding that the more tools they have, the more efficient and quicker they can do their job! We provided funding for five specialized phones, five pairs of binoculars, and five heavy duty torches for their rangers to use in the field. In addition, we provided funding for 10 more motion sensor cameras, which have proven to be very effective in catching incursions.
Baby Rhino Rescue has donated another drone to our partner in the Kalahari. This drone will add great value in the fight against poaching, day and night. This advanced drone is a crucial tool for relaying infornation and staying in the air without losing sight of the poachers. This particular drone has more software features that help run a smoother operation, such as loading their own reserve map. It also contains a range finder that can provide GPS co-ordinates from a distance, so they can pick up poacher locations without them knowing, thus allowing ground units with accurate locations to move in.
We are continuing our support of our partner reserve in the Kalahari by donating additional equipment for their Anti-Poaching Unit. We are providing funds for an additional drone, which provides coverage of larger areas in a shorter time, immediate action on follow-ups at poaching incidents, and night vision possibilities with a FLIR camera. We are also funding two sets of mobile, head-mounted night vision equipment. This will give the APU team the ability to follow poachers at night, and will double the chances of a successful arrest.
Baby Rhino Rescue has donated funds to help with the creation of an Anti-Poaching Unit Camp at our partner reserve in the Kalahari. The camp is not a nice-to-have but an absolute must-have. This specific camp will be built in the south of the reserve and an identical camp will be built in the northern area next year. It allows them to increase the numbers of their APU team in real-time, and most importantly, have them housed in strategically placed areas, away from other reserve staff for security reasons. The camp will include five accomodation tents, one ablution tent, one kitchen/living area tent and one storage tent.
As the poaching crisis continues, we are committed to supporting all of our partners as they fight for the survival of their rhinos. We supported our Kalahari partner with funding to strengthen strategic security measures spanning a vast territory. All alerts trigger the anti-poaching teams as well as South African law enforcement. Our security to date has been responsible for apprehending two poaching gangs that were operational in the north and south of the reserve. These poachers are currently behind bars and awaiting trial.
When poaching was seen practically on our partner in the Kalahari’s doorstep, we stepped in! We provided funding for the entire year of 2022. This includes guard salaries, uniforms, rations, fuel for vehicles, equipment, and more. We aim to keep the 100-plus rhinos here, and all of the other animals, safe!
Baby Rhino Rescue is committed to keeping all of the rhinos healthy at our Kalihari partner’s reserve. We once again funded the yearly inoculation program which included 15 hours of helicopter time and all medical supplies needed for the vaccinations. This will protect the rhinos from a bacterial infection that can be deadly!
Baby Rhino Rescue donated two military-grade drones to the reserve we work with in the Kalahari. These drones will augment the motion-sensor and License Plate Recognition cameras and the anti-poaching unit already in place there. The team is trained and the drones have been deployed. We are confident that this added security will make this massive area safer for the rhinos living there.
Baby Rhino Rescue has partnered with Wildlife Protection Solutions to fund the purchase and installation of 20 motion sensor cameras for our partner in the Kalahari. These real-time cameras relay information to wpsWatch, a system that monitors activity 24/7. When wpsWatch detects wildlife threats, it sends emails or SMS alerts (along with the coordinates of the intrusion) to security and monitoring staff, prompting an immediate response to active intrusions and illegal activities.
The cameras on this reserve are part of a bigger network called the Kameeldoring Network, which is a security network that assists private rhino owners in the area. These cameras are spaced over a vast area and the information gathered by them can be accessed by all members of the Network. In addition, the group works with law enforcement agencies and continually gathers information on poachers and poaching syndicates with regular intelligence feedback to all members. Members also have access to the national database of suspect vehicles, which includes all crimes such as hijacking, vehicle theft, drug smuggling, human trafficking and of course, poaching. These cameras are a security game changer for the reserve!
Rhinos suffer from a number of different potential maladies. It is important to inoculate against these and keep the rhinos fortified and healthy. The inoculation donation funded the helicopter costs, darts, and vaccines. The vaccines will keep the rhinos protected for full a year.
The most cutting-edge project in South Africa – a wilderness dedicated to animals only – needs state of the art anti-poaching to keep the 100 strong truly wild rhinos safe! Surrounded by farms where rhinos have been poached, and with an increase in poaching due to Covid-19, security was a priority. BRR immediately came to the aid of the rhinos, and all the other animals, with funding for all inclusive security for 18 months.
