Technology aids rhino conservation in South Africa
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In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, field teams with Wildlife ACT monitor rhinos daily to protect them from increasing poaching pressure.
Poachers killed 93 rhinos in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in 2020, but that number rose to 325 by 2023, creating an urgent need for improved monitoring. These teams track both Critically Endangered Black Rhinos and Near Threatened White Rhinos using telemetry, GPS devices, camera traps, and unique ear notches to identify individuals.
New technologies such as horn-mounted sensors and implanted pods now provide real-time location data, alerting rangers to potential poaching events more quickly than before. Aerial patrols also assist ground teams by spotting signs of poaching from above, particularly in dense vegetation. Some reserves combine monitoring with dehorning, a process that removes the rhino’s horn to deter poachers without harming the animal.
The data collected informs decisions about rhino health, movement, and potential threats, also supporting the Black Rhino Range Expansion Project (BRREP). WWF launched BRREP in 2003 to relocate rhinos to new, secure habitats, expanding Black Rhino range across South Africa by over 250,000 hectares, including a 49 percent increase in KwaZulu-Natal. Volunteers and community involvement further support monitoring efforts and reduce conflict between humans and wildlife.
