14 DAY TRIAL // The British nonprofit conservation organization called Protect has developed an unusual form of preventing poaching. It has loaded the surviving rhinos with GPS transmitters, heart rate monitors and cameras in their horns.
The anti-poaching package is called RAPID (Real-time Anti-Poaching Intelligence Device) and is already being trialed in South Africa.
According to tests, when a rhino wearing the equipment is attacked by poachers, it has a surge or drop in heart rate, and the horn-mounted camera is automatically activated so that a control center can see what's happening with the animal. If poachers are detected, the controllers activate the GPS and it sends out anti-poaching patrols at the location.
Apparently, another reason why boring holes in rhinos horns is effective is that, besides the fact that it isn't painful for the animal, it deters poachers from killing them or harvesting their horns as not only they are supervised but their horns are also "spoiled."
Fortunately, the wireless systems of supervision drain a minimum of battery life and need to be changed only once or twice in a rhino's life so there are no power economy issues regarding their supervision.
Protect hopes that in a short time all endangered rhinos will be equipped with these anti-poaching systems in order to have them saved from extinction.
