Fundraising Antipoaching Cameras - 2018 Africa Wild Project
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:14 pm
AW Members:
We have received the following request from Limpopo Transfrontier park:
Request for replenishment of camera traps
Background
In 2012 after a discussion around the rhino poaching which was affecting the Kruger National Park and its neighbour, the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, Africa Wild undertook to raise funds to buy five camera traps which would help with data capture of the poacher activity.
This was duly done and five camera traps were donated. Of the five, one was deployed in the ### section of the KNP and was instrumental in the Section Ranger of ### obtaining more camera traps through other funding.
The remaining four were deployed by Billy Swanepoel, technical Advisor to the Protection program in Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
Billy deployed the cameras along known poacher tracks and routes and collected valuable data which he used to motivate certain actions which have had a major effect on the infiltration routes which the poachers use. The prime example is the establishment of a control boom near Machapane tourist camp. This boom has reduced the infiltration from Mozambique into the KNP near Giriyondo gate by more the 90%, allowing the section rangers to concentrate their efforts in a narrower corridor to the south.
The cameras not only afforded the PNL Technical Advisor good insight into poacher group composition and armament, but also by default proved excellent for wildlife monitoring in sensitive areas.
Request for camera traps
Since 2012 three of the five cameras have been lost. The 2013 flood took the ### camera from where it was mounted on the ### bridge. Two cameras in the LNP have presumably been discovered and stolen by poachers. Of the remaining two only one is serviceable. These cameras are exposed to all weather conditions as well as being tampered with by elephant and baboons.
It is therefore requested that, if possible, five more cameras be funded to continue with this work.
Billy Swanepoel| Technical Advisor Protection and Wildlife Parque National do Limpopo
PEACE PARKS FOUNDATION – MOZAMBIQUE
bswanepoel@peace parks.org
www.peaceparks.org
AW actually said the camera traps were for Timbavati, for security reasons. Quite impressive how reliable they are!
Basically, local or foreign members PM me for the details, I send mutual emails to the member and the shop which sells the cameras, the member returns a mail with amount to be sponsored and credit card info, shop does the transaction and AW stores the transaction proof, dates etc, but NOT the cc information! Members can also choose to include Billy Swanepoel in the conversation if they so wish.
Members without credit card info can follow the same route, just deposit directly into the shop's account. Last time it took only a couple of months to get the required donations, roughly R20 000, but obviously times have changed economically. This will therefore be a pilot project at first, and members are obviously welcome to make suggestions as to how to proceed!
The cameras cost roughly R5300 each at the moment.
This is the first time a beneficiary has returned to request assistance from AW again, so we feel it is only proper to do our best!
Here are some pics from a different but similar setup...real rhino poachers VERY long ago. The exact features and operating procedures of the system are obviously not public. :
We have received the following request from Limpopo Transfrontier park:
Request for replenishment of camera traps
Background
In 2012 after a discussion around the rhino poaching which was affecting the Kruger National Park and its neighbour, the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique, Africa Wild undertook to raise funds to buy five camera traps which would help with data capture of the poacher activity.
This was duly done and five camera traps were donated. Of the five, one was deployed in the ### section of the KNP and was instrumental in the Section Ranger of ### obtaining more camera traps through other funding.
The remaining four were deployed by Billy Swanepoel, technical Advisor to the Protection program in Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
Billy deployed the cameras along known poacher tracks and routes and collected valuable data which he used to motivate certain actions which have had a major effect on the infiltration routes which the poachers use. The prime example is the establishment of a control boom near Machapane tourist camp. This boom has reduced the infiltration from Mozambique into the KNP near Giriyondo gate by more the 90%, allowing the section rangers to concentrate their efforts in a narrower corridor to the south.
The cameras not only afforded the PNL Technical Advisor good insight into poacher group composition and armament, but also by default proved excellent for wildlife monitoring in sensitive areas.
Request for camera traps
Since 2012 three of the five cameras have been lost. The 2013 flood took the ### camera from where it was mounted on the ### bridge. Two cameras in the LNP have presumably been discovered and stolen by poachers. Of the remaining two only one is serviceable. These cameras are exposed to all weather conditions as well as being tampered with by elephant and baboons.
It is therefore requested that, if possible, five more cameras be funded to continue with this work.
Billy Swanepoel| Technical Advisor Protection and Wildlife Parque National do Limpopo
PEACE PARKS FOUNDATION – MOZAMBIQUE
bswanepoel@peace parks.org
www.peaceparks.org
AW actually said the camera traps were for Timbavati, for security reasons. Quite impressive how reliable they are!
Basically, local or foreign members PM me for the details, I send mutual emails to the member and the shop which sells the cameras, the member returns a mail with amount to be sponsored and credit card info, shop does the transaction and AW stores the transaction proof, dates etc, but NOT the cc information! Members can also choose to include Billy Swanepoel in the conversation if they so wish.
Members without credit card info can follow the same route, just deposit directly into the shop's account. Last time it took only a couple of months to get the required donations, roughly R20 000, but obviously times have changed economically. This will therefore be a pilot project at first, and members are obviously welcome to make suggestions as to how to proceed!
The cameras cost roughly R5300 each at the moment.
This is the first time a beneficiary has returned to request assistance from AW again, so we feel it is only proper to do our best!
Here are some pics from a different but similar setup...real rhino poachers VERY long ago. The exact features and operating procedures of the system are obviously not public. :