The Global Park Defense System (GPDS) team, funded by Jeff Morgan (Global Conservation), is a specialized ranger unit that uses technology to bolster conservation. The ranger unit utilizes trail cameras in the forest that send pictures and videos to the rangers in real-time, to monitor and intercept illegal activities inside the protected area.
GPDS Anti-Poaching unit Cambodia
Global Conservation is deploying new technologies including command and control, cellular trailcams, aerial surveillance and targeted ranger patrols for increasing the effectiveness of forest and wildlife protection.
The trail cameras are installed in strategic places in order to monitor any intrusion inside the GPDS protected area. Metal boxes are built to protect the cameras and a secure lock allows the rangers to change the position of the cameras if necessary.
GPDS Anti-Poaching unit – Trail camera Receiver installation
GPDS Anti-Poaching unit – Trail camera installation
GPDS Anti-Poaching unit – Trail camera installed on main access going in and out of the protected area.
GPDS Anti-Poaching unit – Trail camera installed on the river to monitor the traffic
Results:
Due to the trail-cameras working in real-time and the rangers’ fast intervention, 80% of offenders were caught before they have even had a chance to poach wildlife or illegally cut trees.
The team intercepted two offenders heading toward the GPDS protected area carrying a home-made gun, black gun powder, 26 bullets, and two chainsaws. The two men were arrested and sentenced to prison.
The rangers intercepted a boat with two people carrying luxury timber (3.2 m3) hidden under a pile of construction timber. The men were jailed for illegal luxury timber transportation.
The rangers collected a poacher’s bag and found a Critically Endangered pangolin (4.5kg), 27 turtles (30kg), and five soft-shell turtles (12kg).
Three loggers were caught due to a camera alert. The team’s fast reaction led to the arrest of three loggers cutting and carrying chainsaws inside the protected area.
GPDS Rangers in action – VIDEO
Our forest rangers work tirelessly to protect some of the world’s most endangered animals in one of Southeast Asia’s last great rainforests.
Our forest rangers work tirelessly to protect some of the world’s most endangered animals in one of Southeast Asia’s last great rainforests.
Our forest rangers work tirelessly to protect some of the world’s most endangered animals in one of Southeast Asia’s last great rainforests.
This is extremely cool; however, tech is also enabling poachers to track, pursue, and kill more efficiently. Those who care need to stay steps ahead of them. And those that perpetuate these senseless crimes — the buyers of the end products — need to have harsh punitive action taken against them. It’s time to stop just catching the little guys — the big guys need to be stopped from supplying to the heartless and soulless.
Agreed! Putting the big ‘fish’ away, effectively puts the little guys ‘out of business’. I was sickened when the Videographers went out into the forests around Angkor Watts and began destroying traps. There were so many of them. And then the next week, they were all back again. :p
I doubt these cameras are livestreaming for just any Joe on the internet. This is a great idea. Obviously poaching runs rampant around the world is proof we need new ideas. Imagine a jungle/reserve with every inch of it being watched by a team of devoted animal lovers (Private team not public) in real-time! That sounds like a victory for wildlife. We would and they do arrest the poacher before traps are even set. This is successful and the world needs to follow.
I could not agree more with prior comments. Poor indigenous folks carrying out crimes are merely the result of demands made by middle class and wealthy folks around the world. Laws are too weak and env’tl educ programs are too slow while demand increases as the human pop grows. I applaud efforts, including video surveillance, but my hopes aren’t up in the long run that enough people care…. enough.