Cisco, DiData use drones to protect endangered species

Dimension Data and Cisco have put in place a project that will ensure rhino's safety by tracking people from the moment they enter an unnamed private game reserve in South Africa.

The reserve is located close to the Kruger National Park, infamous for the high number of poached rhinos every year.

Both companies worked together and gathered information from game rangers, security, technology and control centre teams in order to create a secure reserve area network (RAN).

The Dimension Data professional services team have implemented the solution that will be operated on site. The solutions provider installed Cisco's wi-fi hotspots and local area networks in each gate of the reserve.

The next step includes the installation of CCTV, drones with infrared cameras and thermal imaging, vehicle tracking sensors and seismic sensors. Data will be collected to estimate the departure time of someone or a vehicle entering the premises.

The objective is not to disturb the animals by tracking people instead of tagging the endangered species. The project is hoping to catch people illegally entering the reserve by cutting fences and entering the area after hours.

Dimension Data group executive for Cisco alliance Bruce Watson said: "The goal of our end-to-end technology solution is to proactively intervene and stop people entering the reserve illegally - whether it’s cutting fences, being dropped onto the ground by helicopters, or simply driving in through the entrance gates."

Watson said Dimension Data plans to expand the project in the future to other reserves not only in South Africa and Africa but worldwide and protect other endangered species.

Cisco executive vice president of worldwide sales Chris Dedicoat said: "We’re extremely proud to be a partner in the Connected Conservation efforts. Cisco and Dimension Data have applied their innovation to transformational cutting-edge technologies and have leveraged our synergies in the latest network, security, data centre, collaborative workspaces and hybrid cloud solutions. We hope the number of rhino will once again thrive in this protected game reserve."

Rhinos are targeted because of the high value of its horns, these can cost more than precious metals such as gold or silver.

Currently there are three species of rhinos listed as critically endangered.

According to an official announcement from the department of Environmental Affairs of the Republic of South Africa, 1,175 rhinos were poached throughout 2015, 826 alone from the Kruger National Park.

Although the number has decreased, compared to the 1,215 animals poached in 2014, the risk of extinction is still high.

The Australian Rhino Project plans to relocate 80 rhinos from South Africa to Australia in order to avoid extinction. The process could take up to five years as the animals can weigh up to 2,300 kg and they have to stay two months in quarantine and be sedated for transport.