from ODIRILE TOTENG in Gaborone, Botswana
Botswana Bureau
GABORONE, (CAJ News) – BOTSWANA is leveraging technological tools to enhance the conservation of its giraffe population, which faces several underlying threats.
Such efforts have received a major boost after the parastatal Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) received advanced real-time tracking technology and camera systems from a global non-profit organisation dedicated to protecting wild giraffe populations from extinction.
The equipment made available by Save Giraffes Now (SGN) is to support the monitoring and management of the animals’ population while improving data collection for conservation purposes.
The wares were handed over to the BTO at the Goo-Moremi Resort, some 300km northeast of the capital, Gaborone.
The tracking equipment, worth P200 000 (US$14 900), marks another significant step in strengthening wildlife conservation efforts and enhancing sustainable tourism development in the area.
“The donation is expected to contribute to improved wildlife management, enhanced visitor experiences and the long-term sustainability of the resort’s conservation initiatives,” Mildred Mackennie, BTO’s Tourism Development Manager for Palapye, said.
Thapelo Baiphethi, SGN Director for Southern Africa, affirmed a commitment to supporting giraffe conservation in Botswana.
“The tracking equipment forms part of broader efforts to ensure the well-being and protection of the translocated giraffes,” Baiphethi said.
Satellite tracking provides exact, real-time location data, helping ecologists map movement corridors, understand how animals respond to human pressures and immediately flag when an animal strays into unprotected or high-poaching areas.
In Botswana, giraffes, the world’s tallest animals, face threats such as illegal hunting, habitat loss and prolonged droughts.
It is estimated there are 8 000 to 13 000 giraffes in the Southern African country, which is a global leader in conservation, with 40 percent of its land area dedicated to national parks, game reserves and wildlife management areas.
– CAJ News