Nature Crime: anti-poaching
PoachTracker Map
The PoachTracker tool unveils statistics on rhino poaching incidents in Southern Africa, specifically of rhino deaths and poaching arrests in the country as far back as 2010. The tool is based on original data collected by courts, law enforcement agencies, and web scraping by Oxpeckers, which is aggregated and filtered in an interactive and accessible way.
LionLocalizer
LionLocalizer is an online tool to provide intelligence into the possible geographic origin of any seized lion body parts. It uses genetic sequences generated from seized lion parts to match them against a database with known, georeferenced lion genetic sequences.
Loxodonta Localizer
Just as LionLocalizer can provide intelligence into the possible geographic origin of any seized lion body parts, Loxodonta Localizer is able to use genetic sequences generated from elephant body parts, including ivory, to match them against a database known, georeferenced elephant genetic sequences.
Cyber Tracker Online
Platform that provides tools for collecting and analyzing field data in wildlife conservation and environmental monitoring. It offers a customizable data collection system that uses mobile devices to record observations, track wildlife movements, and gather various environmental metrics. The platform is designed to enhance data accuracy and efficiency in fieldwork, supporting better decision-making and management in conservation projects.
SMART 7
SMART enables the collection, storage, communication, and evaluation of data on patrol efforts, patrol results, and threat levels. It is a conservation area management platform, including mobile, desktop, and cloud-based components with a wide range of applications in conservation practice. This platform allows conservationists to easily collect, visualize, store, analyze, report and act on a wide range of data relevant for protecting wildlife and improving your overall conservation impact. SMART 7 is the latest version that has been released. Multiple tools are bundled in the app that can be used for different purposes.
ODINN
Intelligently processes images from camera traps in the field and immediately flags to rangers the presence of an elephant or human, allowing those protecting wildlife to identify poaching threats in real time and respond more immediately. The tool is not actively maintained or available for use at this time.
Wildlife Insights
Using artificial intelligence and the power of big data to provide scientists an unequaled view into the habits and habitats of wildlife, data that is critical for crafting smart conservation policies. It takes “animal selfies” through motion-detector cameras — known as camera traps — to snap thousands of photos a day of animals rarely seen by human eyes. As the largest camera-trap database in the world, Wildlife Insights has the potential to transform wildlife conservation by providing reliable, frequent and up-to-date information on myriad species that are largely invisible to science and conservation practitioners.
SCAT
Software for “smoothed and continuous assignment tests” that combines genetic and statistical methods to determine the origin of poached ivory. The methods estimate geographic-specific allele frequencies over the entire African elephants’ range. These geographic-specific allele frequency estimates are used to infer the geographic origin of DNA samples.
VORONOI
An extension of the SCAT tools. It aims to determine the geographic origin(s) of large elephant ivory seizures using a Voronoi tessellation method that utilizes genetic similarities across tusks to simultaneously infer the origin of multiple samples that could have one or more origin(s).
Project Seeker
AI-driven detection algorithm for computed tomography scanning systems using bespoke Microsoft AI to curb the trade. Currently, there are no integrated, multi-species illegal wildlife algorithms on the market. The project can be analysed to build a comprehensive and detailed picture of illegal wildlife trafficking across the world. It has been developed in collaboration with the United Kingdom Border Force’s Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) team, London Heathrow Airport, as well as the Duke of Cambridge’s Royal Foundation.