Led by the reserve's Wildlife Manager & Resident Ecologist, Lorraine Doyle and Wildlife Operations Co-Ordinator Mariana Venter, it is seeing the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) driven collars.
This ground-breaking technology marks a significant step forward in the ongoing fight against rhino poaching.
Until now Thanda Safari has used various methods including foot collars and horn pods to monitor its black and white rhino populations.
However, limitations with these approaches, such as the use of telemetry units requiring line-of-sight. And with no direct data recording capabilities or GPS functionality, meant a more sophisticated solution was needed.
The newly developed AI-enabled collars employ advanced algorithms to continuously observe, learn and analyse the behaviour patterns specific to each rhino.
By recognizing abnormal activities such as potential poaching attempts, fighting, mating, giving birth or illness, the collars instantly trigger alerts sent directly to ranger's phones with precise GPS coordinates, enabling rapid response and investigation.
The new approach is helping to catch poachers in the act while also generating valuable research and data for tracking rhino movements, monitoring their health, and overall well-being.
The new approach is helping to catch poachers in the act while also generating valuable research and data for tracking rhino movements, monitoring their health, and overall well-being.
Thanda Safari’s guests are also invited to join the Wildlife Conservation Team to witness first hand the work they undertake to safeguard and preserve the reserve's wildlife.
Activities may include tracking big game such as the rhino and elephant and using telemetry equipment for locating rehabilitating cheetahs.
There is also the opportunity to assist with bird counts, examining footage from camera traps, or even participating in the placement of AI collars on rhinos.
Meaning ‘love’ in isiZulu, Thanda Safari offers three luxury accommodation options, wildlife diversity, expert-guided safari activities together with a conservationcentric approach to its guest experience and immersive cultural experiences.
Thanda Safari offers viewing of all of the Big Five, a wide variety of plains game and over 300 different bird species.
Thanda is also a founder member of Project Rhino KZN, an intensive anti-poaching and conservation collaboration between KwaZulu-Natal’s leading conservation agencies, provincial game reserves and government bodies, private game reserves and anti-poaching security specialists.
* www.thandasafari.co.za/conservation/, www.thandafoundation.com/projects/project-rhino and www.thandasafari.co.za
* Lucinda Lacon at lucinda@limosa-communications.co.uk
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