"With rhino poaching at a crisis point, we wanted to help before the species disappeared altogether"
Doc Watson, Connected Conservation Foundation founder
Using technology for conservation
While there had been great initiatives to protect the rhino over the years, these were reactive, and the number of animal killings continued to rise at increasing, alarming rates. Doc Watson’s dream to put people, gadgets and technology together to create a proactive approach to reduce poaching rates came to life. In 2015, Dimension Data and Cisco created the first-of-its-kind, proactive solution to reduce the poaching of rhinos in a private game reserve adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa.
96% reduction in poaching
By using a combination of technologies to create a reserve area network, the pilot was a resounding success: in two years, it reduced poaching by 96%.
Enriching communities
Beyond saving the lives of rhinos, the project saw employment growth in the surrounding communities, and an increase in conservation awareness.
An opportunity to save more wildlife
Doc Watson saw an opportunity to expand and replicate what had worked in the pilot project and founded Connected Conservation Foundation to continue this important work. With poaching rates worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s an urgency like never before to act.
