New mobile app to track wildlife

A new mobile platform offering real time tracking of animals has been launched to facilitate the fight against wildlife poaching. Jumbo Mobile Phone Subscriber Service (JUMPS) is designed to curb poaching and provide security to elephants and rhinos in national parks.

The technology utilises GPS or Global Positioning System, mobile connectivity via SIM card, and a high resolution camera. The JUMPS gadget is strapped round elephant’s neck with camera positioned on top of elephant’s head to provide clear focus of wildlife interaction in the ecosystem. The device allows for recording and transmission of real time video and pictures together with accurate location coordinates via 3G enabled SIM cards.

The invention by conservationist Raphael Omondi and software engineer Badru Suleiman allows for the upload of video footage and still photographs over an interval of five minutes and 20 minutes for video footage to a secure, reliable cloud storage server. This eliminates the need to sedate the animal in order to get data from the on-device storage.

Omondi says relevant agencies are welcome to partner with them in rolling out the technology. “With JUMPS technology one is able to take still photographs of the wildlife crime scene both day and night. These photos can then be stored, downloaded and shared with the police or investigative officers,” he said.