The battle to address environmental challenges in today’s fast growing world has never been more urgent. Thankfully, the growing technology is emerging as a critical tool that is becoming a great ally to help and amplify the capacity to protect mother nature.
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 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.
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.
