– is a rhino a rhino without its hornread : dehorning rhinos reduces poaching by 80%, study finds
art ecology science & animals
Tagged poaching
EPICENTER OF PHENOMENON
–it’s possible to enjoy a coffee while an owl perches on your head, or to sit at a bar where live penguins stare out at you from behind a plexiglass wall read : available for selfies in animal cafesmore : fashion with potential implications
VULCAN STEPS IN
— if he has his way, paul allen will have 90,000 square miles of african territory covered with smart sensors and drones by the end of this year to bring hyper-connectivity to africa’s remotest, most wildlife-packed corners. it’s the biggest conservation tech project to date read article : paul allen goes digital to save the world’s most-endangered animals
TAKING REFUGE
— “this is a global challenge that can only be tackled through collective, international action.” read article : illegal wildlife trade threatens species at unesco sites
THE YOUNG, TECH-SAVVY, URBAN GENERATION OF AFRICA
— the continent now has the youngest and fastest-growing human population in the world. cities are expanding. international agencies and companies are seeking a massive expansion in african agriculture. long overdue infrastructure, including ports, highways and railways, is being built. but all of that comes with a potential conservation price. so is all lost? read article : africa must not become one big game park
AI & HUMINT COLLAB
PAWS, which stands for protection assistant for wildlife security, is a newly developed ai that takes data about previous poaching activities and outputs routes for patrols based on where poaching is likely to occur — algorithms used by homeland security, the transportation security administration, and the coast guard to predicts where resources like agents and surveillance would best be placed to interfere with smuggling and terrorism. read article : rangers use artificial intelligence to fight poachers
PRO-ACTIVE PLEASE
— the secret to PAWS is the fact that it manages to incorporate complex terrain data. after the protected area’s topography is input, then the system can create practical routes “to limit the differences in elevations that could slow down patrol action.” this doesn’t only save time, but energy as well. read article : how AI can prevent poaching activities more : AI vs. poachers
ANTI-POACHING VACATIONS
— “more tourists on the ground means more eyes on the animals, watching over them, keeping poachers at bay. without their realizing it, the mere presence of tourists serves as an anti-poaching measure.” read article : vacations that help endangered species
FAKED & SUSTAINABLE
— “our goal is to replace the illegal wildlife trade, a $20b black market, the fourth largest after drug, arms, and human trafficking, with sustainable commerce.” read article : can fake rhino horn stop the poaching of an endangered species? more : bioengineered wildlife products
IVORY BURNING
— “at that rate, depending on the temperature and duration of the fire, and the size of the ivory pieces, it could take months to burn one ton of ivory.” read article: destroying elephant ivory stockpiles more: state mulls burning ivory at its disposal
WIKILEAKS WEBSITE TARGETING WILDLIFE CRIME
— “every tip is analysed by an expert team of legal and security experts, who determine whether to begin an investigation or share the information with trusted partners. a three-month trial period has yielded tip-offs, spanning the world .” http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jun/12/wildleaks-illegal-wildlife-crime
OUTLAWED EATING
—”its blood is thought to build willpower, and its bones are said to have an anti-inflammatory effect capable of treating arthritis, headaches, and all manner of swelling. its eyeballs are used to ease epilepsy, malaria, and cataracts. the penis is particularly prized as an aphrodisiac, and is commonly prepared by soaking the dried member in water and then simmering it with herbal ingredients.” https://news.vice.com/article/china-outlaws-the-eating-of-tiger-penis-rhino-horn-and-other-endangered-animal-products
worldsendangeredspecies 