The battle to address environmental challenges in today’s fast-growing world has never been more urgent. With the adverse effects of anti-environmental activities giving rise to climate change. It is no longer an issue of the future but a present menace that needs to be gotten out of the way through thoughtful living.
The growth of technology has made the world more connected than never before. Through the evolution of smart phones, and now Artificial Intelligence (AI) we cannot but wonder how best to tap into the veins of technology to address the environmental challenges of our generation.
There are quite many things that make up the ecosystem of our environment. In order to have tangible results, we need to focus on a few particular things instead of drawing thin. That is being almost everywhere without a tangible effect.
Though most of the climate change discussion centers around global warming, there is more that needs to be done in regard to wildlife conservation. It is for this reason we wish to take a case study of a conservation initiative that has proved to be a success for the last few decades; mountain gorilla conservation.
Several African countries have embraced technological initiatives as innovative tools to help in conserving Nature. From using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to simple mobile apps on phones, African countries have embraced tech ways to protect the endangered mountain gorillas that are only endemic to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Virunga Massif in Central Africa.
In central Africa, Rwanda has made impressive progress in driving gorilla conservation using AI. Last week Rwanda rolled out an innovative solution where Artificial Intelligence (AI) would be used to protect the habitats for mountain gorillas and at the same time empower local communities who are the custodians of the parks.
Dubbed “Interspecies Money” the innovative solution created by Tehabu, a startup firm based in Rwanda will allow mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park to raise funds for their conservation through digital wallets powered by AI-facial recognition. The platform has already been piloted on 20 mountain gorillas and the digital wallets link the apes to the financial system allowing funds raised to be spent on conservation services such hiring park rangers.
Recently Uganda also created a mobile app that raises funds for gorilla conservation. The “My Gorilla Family” app was launched in Africa by the Beyond Tourism in Africa Innovation Challenge” a program supported by WWF Regional office for Africa, Africa Leadership University’s School of Wildlife Conservation, and the Luc Hoffman Institute. The program aims at fostering new income generating ideas for both gorilla conservation and supporting local communities that live around the protected areas where the great apes are protected.
The “My Gorilla Family App” is subscription based and subscribers can experience virtual treks to the gorilla habitats, view updates and video content from the gorilla world.
Part of the main weapon in the conservation war is information. Technology is bringing the necessary information closer to the people. Once people are equipped with the right information, they start valuing the conservation of wildlife as well as their eco systems. For instance, a person who has trekked gorillas in Rwanda will be willing to donate money for the conservation of mountain gorillas made possible through their A.I initiative.
The inspiring technological innovations in the gorilla world show that Africa is finding new ways and tools to raise the much-needed funds for sustainable conservation. Tehanu’s Ledgard stress that the use of AI will not only help in protecting mountain gorillas but also extend to conservation of a variety of species that live in protected areas.
