In 2015, global technology giants Dimension Data (part of the NTT Group) and Cisco created the first-of-its-kind Connected Conservation solution to reduce the poaching of rhinos in a private game reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
By using a combination of technologies to create a reserve area network, the pilot was a resounding success: in two years, it reduced poaching by 96%.
Beyond saving the lives of rhinos, the project saw employment growth in the surrounding communities, as more people became involved in the roles and responsibilities of managing the technology.
Bruce 'Doc' Watson saw an enormous opportunity to expand and replicate what had worked in the pilot project and founded Connected Conservation Foundation to continue this important work.
Over the next three years, building on the success of the pilot project, we want to expand the initiative by equipping more parks and reserves with effective technology solutions to protect wildlife and their habitats. Working closely with field teams, we’ll assess a site’s readiness for technology implementation. If the right capacity, requirements and resources are met, we will customise the solution for each reserve, using the pilot as a base and assist the management team on the ground to help integrate the technology into daily operations.
Technology and poaching tactics continually change. To stay ahead we are tirelessly working with our corporate and conservation partners to innovate and harness new technology development for wildlife conservation. Providing collaborative testing opportunities for partners to prove the useful and appropriate application of new technology in complex environments.
We're providing training and education to members of the surrounding communities, who form the park and reserve security staff and management teams. Training is ongoing, making sure local teams can self-sufficiently run the projects and as a result provide in-house training.
By protecting wildlife species, we’re preserving ecosystems for future generations, reduce poaching and keep natural habitats intact.
