Print Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife: CyberTracker Monitoring to Fight Upsurge of Rhino Poaching

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife: CyberTracker Monitoring to Fight Upsurge of Rhino Poaching

14 Feb 2011

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has recently embarked on the implementation of Cybertracker within its high risk protected areas. This is as a result of a very successful implementation programme within the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park and system developments in consultation with South African National Parks. In January 2011, members of the Cybertracker Project Team concluded the implementation of the Ezemvelo Cybertracker Test Sequence within the Masinda and Mbhuzane Sections of the Hluhluwe – Imfolozi Park in Northern KwaZulu – Natal

Imfolozi Game Reserve has been severely targeted in the recent upsurge of rhino poaching currently being experienced in KwaZulu – Natal. As such this park was identified as a high priority park requiring urgent Cybertracker implementation. Ezemvelo has purchased a number of PDA units and Phase 1 implementation includes the rest of Imfolozi Game Reserve as well as neighboring Mkhuze and Western Shores sections of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

To date the programme has proved effective in assisting managers in monitoring and improving law enforcement effectiveness. The Cybertracker Project has now been endorsed as Ezemvelo’s standard Patrol Monitoring System and linkages with organisational biological databases underway. Thus an added advantage is the automated flow of field captured biological data.