CAPE TOWN- The Living Planet Report published by World Wild Life (WWF) every two years, documents the state of the planet including biodiversity, ecosystems, and demand on natural resourcesand what it means for humans and wildlife. The report brings together a variety of research to provide a comprehensive view of the health of the earth.
According to a previous report, this is the damage done to wildlife:
Here are ways that technology is aiding to conserve animal life:
1. Google Earth
(Image: Google Earth)
Google Earth has become a tool for the conservation and preservation of species and habitats. New species have been discovered by scientists browsing the globe and endangered species and their vital habitats are being protected by organisations using the software as a mapping and visualization tool to illustrate the threats to their survival.
2. Text Messages Protect Elephants in Kenya
(Image: Blogspot)
Chips used in some cell phones to store phone numbers and other user information are being used in Kenya to keep endangered elephants from leaving their habitats and entering human civilization, where they tend to cause damage to homes and other structures. In 2008, Save the Elephants fitted a SIM card into the collar of an elephant named Kimani, who frequently ventures into nearby farms, and set up a virtual ‘geofence’ using GPS.
3. Camera trapping
(Image: Awsassets)
A camera is left at a location where animal activity can be found eg, a water hole and set up so that any approaching wild animal will automatically trigger it to take a photo or video, without the need for a photographer being present.
4. Smart Collars for Endangered Species:
( Image: National Park Service)
Biologists will have new "smart collars" that use GPS and accelerometer technology to track not only a wild animal's location but also how it is moving, when it is hunting, what it is hunting. These collars can tell us its every move.
5. Conservation Drones:
( Image: Conservation Drones Wordpress)
A drone complete with cameras, sensors and GPS to map deforestation and count orangutans and other endangered species in northern Sumatra. The drone costing around $2,000 can be used for both monitoring and tracking long-term changes as well as providing real-time video and data feeds.