Protect and Save the life of Our Rhinos

Dear supporters,

Recently, GVI Karongwe’s science team has invested countless hours in an exciting new development for anti-poaching efforts on the reserve. We discovered a program called Digtrace, which enables you to input photographic images of tracks to create a moveable 3D image. Eventually we hope to create an ID kit for each individual on the property to enable us to identify these animals in their complete absence. This technique will be especially useful for certain individuals who intentionally avoid human and vehicle presence.

The search for the software stemmed from recent concerns about the location of a rhino mother and newborn calf who hadn’t been seen on the property for over 10 months. Attempts to search for them using evidence of their tracks was unsuccessful as the sound of our vehicles triggered motherly instincts. With such young offspring, rhino mothers are innately protective and will keep their young away from any potential threat or unusual noise. It was only in September of this year, a total of 10 months after her last confirmed sighting, that we finally positively identified this pair from a vehicle. Her calf was now almost a year old – an age where rhino calves are more capable of identifying and fleeing from danger.

It was an enormous relief to confirm that our entire rhino population was safe. But what could we do to ensure we wouldn’t experience such a worrisome time again? Digtrace was the answer! Our science team is working hard to collect enough images from the footprint our rhinos leave behind to compile these invaluable ID kits. To help us collect this data at a faster rate we are currently searching for wireless camera traps that provide downloadable real-time images. We will place these traps in areas where we are aware of rhino presence and will use these instant updates to visit sites of fresh tracks. These cameras will also be placed in identified hot-spot poaching areas – a potential huge leap forward for anti-poaching efforts on Karongwe. 

As you can imagine these traps are expensive, but incredibly worthwhile to ensure the protection of this iconic species. 

Thankyou for your ongoing support.