Today, PBS reported on the success of RESOLVE’s project, with the Tanzanian Wildlife Research Institute and the Mara Elephant Project, using hobby drones to prevent human-wildlife conflict near the Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks in Tanzania.
PBS Reports on RESOLVESaving Elephants and Protecting Communities and LivelihoodsRESOLVE’s Nathan Hahn Tells the Story on PBSSERENGETI NATIONAL PARK, Tanzania – Today, PBS reported on the success of RESOLVE’s project, with the Tanzanian Wildlife Research Institute and the Mara Elephant Project, using hobby drones to prevent human-wildlife conflict near the Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks in Tanzania. Check out this link on PBS.Nathan Hahn, a researcher with RESOLVE’s Biodiversity and Wildlife Solutions Program, is featured in the PBS story. The research team worked hard to make the case that drones could serve as peacekeepers. “We’ve stressed the importance of data collection throughout this project. There is sometimes a tendency to overstate the power of new technologies, and we wanted to fairly assess the utility of the drones for moving elephants out of crops and other areas. The results are positive and show that UAVs can be an effective, flexible way for wildlife managers to deal with human-elephant conflict.”We recognized drones as a possible new tool to prevent human-elephant conflict, but realized more testing was required before drones could be proclaimed a safe solution for both wildlife and people. To prove the case we conducted 51 field trials in farmland bordering Tanzania’s Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks, the results of which are summarized in this Oryx paper. The training reports and operating guides can be found on the RESOLVE site.Stephen D’Esposito President, RESOLVE May 1, 2017
At RESOLVE, we’re here to tackle the toughest global challenges. The ones nobody else wants to touch. Where people are in conflict and planet problems are stuck. We’re here to unstick them. It’s not easy. It takes grit and ingenuity. And finding and working with the right partners. But we’re not called RESOLVE for nothing.
