SANParks has announced the launch of a state-of-the-art aerial surveillance solution in an attempt to fight the scourge of rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park.
The specialist reconnaissance aircraft, The Seeker Seabird, was donated by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation. The partnership will see the foundation providing SANParks with a number of solutions from the Paramount Group, Africa’s largest privately held defence and aerospace company.
“We anticipate that by the end of this calendar year we will have lost about 650 rhinos throughout South Africa, 400 in the Kruger National Park. To date 598 rhinos have been lost to poaching, 364 in the KNP alone,” said Dr David Mabunda, CEO of SANParks.
“Enough is enough; the mindless slaughter of rhinos in the wild has called for a multi-pronged strategy. We are actively enlisting and broadening our engagement with the private sector to protect and conserve wildlife. The strategy is to reach out to a new set of stakeholders that would complement and fundamentally strengthen and provide the necessary intelligence to our existing efforts,” continued Mabunda.
Ivor Ichikowitz, Chairman of the Ichikowitz Family Foundation and executive chairman of the Paramount Group, said advanced visual reconnaissance and surveillance would provide game reserve rangers with robust intelligence in their mission to confront poachers.
“Our world-class electronic systems technology brings expert navigation and surveillance solutions to the fore to help in the search for suspected rhino poachers throughout the Kruger National Park,” said Ichikowitz.
The Seeker Seabird will be equipped with a FLIR Ball infrared detector. This thermal imaging technology will deliver more enhanced and powerful observation capability to the Kruger National Park’s rangers, making it very difficult for poachers to hide.
Any incidents of rhino poaching or tip-offs that can prevent illegal killings, or lead to arrests can be reported to 0800 205 005.
