The Zululand Conservation Trust (ZCT), has custodianship over the Manyoni Private Game Reserve. Within this protected area are strongholds of the White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) and Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis bicornis) populations within South Africa. In particular, the population of C. simum is the third largest in Kwa-Zulu Natal; and D. bicornis bicornis is the largest privately owned population in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Since the declaration of MPGR as Zululand Rhino Reserve in 2004, we have lost 18 rhinos to poaching, suffering no losses between 2018 and 2020. Given the dramatic rate of poaching on public and private entities in South Africa, and even more importantly that there was an increase in rhino poaching in 2018/2019 period, this is some of the strongest counterpoaching work in the province of Kwa- Zulu Natal and South Africa.
At present, the security and antipoaching efforts consist of strategic patrolling by vehicles, on-foot and with our highly-trained K9 unit. In addition to active anti-poaching strategy, we concentrate on tactical partnerships which develop our intelligence and cooperative networks throughout the public and private sectors.
One of the tactical partnerships which we would like to develop going forward is with Alpha Security, and in particular their aMadlozi system. This system consists of two cameras; and aMadlozi camera and an Automatic License Plate Recognition camera.
The aMadlozi camera system employs proactive security measures, by capturing human movement, livestock movement & vehicles passing in front of the camera. The camera system can be armed at all or certain times, and runs AI to send movement alerts via the aMadlozi app. In addition, the cameras are on a 24/7 system, and movements are saved into a searchable database.
The aMadlozi system covers a significant are of northern KZN, but wewould like to place an additional camera to close off a large gap.
We would like to install the camera at the Baobab Inn turnoff, facing to the N2. In addition to this camera, the system will be deployed at the Total Bonjour on the N2 and the Mhlongisa turnoff at Thanda – with this systeminstalled all of the game reserves along the N2 in Northern KZN will be covered.
There is currently a gang operating out of the Khula area, and if this camera is installed it will be one that they have to pass to access the N2. This gives reserves ahuge advantage over rhino poaching suspect movements and ability to plan operations.
