This AI-Powered Collar Could Save Black Rhinos From Poaching
At Thanda Safari, a nature reserve in the KwaZulu-Natal province (KZN) of South Africa, a conservation team stands over the motionless body of a female black rhinoceros. With a chainsaw, a rhino custodian removes the anesthetized animal’s horns. The procedure has become one of the best deterrents against poaching of the ungulates, whose horns are used as both unproven medical treatments and status symbols—and fetch more than the price of gold in Asia.
The method isn’t without consequence. Dehorned white and black rhinos are less able to defend themselves against threats. They also experience disrupted social networks and reduced home territories, which may affect breeding—a detriment to a population that numbers only about 27,000 worldwide. Although poaching has declined since its height in 2015, 448 rhinos were slaughtered in South Africa last year. More than half were in KZN.
Before the rhino wakes up, custodians slide around its ankle a flexible, composite-leather belt affixed to a square plastic device with a large, front-facing solar panel. Developed by Cape Town‒based Rouxcel Technology, the RhinoWatch collar functions something like a giant smartwatch, using artificial intelligence (AI) to help learn the animal’s behavior patterns. It’s the latest technological tool in the fight against poaching, and may save this rhino’s life—even after her horns grow back.