Our wildlife is under attack, and Wildlife ACT is here to fight back. The unfortunate reality is that Africa has over 400 known endangered species. As a result of this startling fact, their goal is to help save South Africa's vulnerable wildlife through their impact-driven, education-fueled projects, all while enabling broad-scale biodiversity conservation. As one of our Rhino Africa Impact Partners, we're in awe and fiercely proud of this non-profit organisation. We take a closer look at what they do, how they do it, and why their work is critical in protecting our wildlife.
Our wildlife warriors in action
Who is Wildlife ACT?
Founded in 2008, Wildlife ACT presents a way to ensure sustainable wildlife monitoring and conservation projects by providing effective tracking and monitoring services to African game reserves – free of charge.
Wildlife ACT either implements monitoring projects on reserves or takes over existing programmes that can no longer be funded or managed, relying on wildlife volunteers to get the job done. As a result, volunteers assist them in monitoring and tracking endangered wildlife species such as African wild dogs, cheetahs and black rhinos daily.
Rhino Africa's Partnership with Wildlife ACT
In 2012, we formed a strategic partnership with Wildlife ACT to help them with funding and support their team of conservationists. Therefore, by travelling with us to Africa, you directly contribute to their noble efforts of bringing endangered and threatened wildlife back from the brink of extinction.
Furthermore, the organisation is 100% funded by volunteers who donate their money or time. So, if you're interested in donating or partaking in their projects on your next trip to Africa, our Travel Experts can plan to add it to your itinerary.
David Ryan, CEO und Founder of Rhino Africa, with his son
Wildlife ACT's Projects
Wildlife ACT focuses on various approaches, but all of them have the same ultimate goal of protecting our wildlife and saving those endangered or threatened species from extinction. It's not a glamorous job. It's gruelling, but someone's got to do it. Here are some of the key ways they fight for species' survival.
Saving Endangered Species
In South Africa, some species are facing a serious extinction threat. Therefore, to combat this, Wildlife ACT believes in placing wildlife in protected areas where they can be monitored while roaming freely in numbers that will strengthen their populations.
For example, Wildlife ACT has helped WWF South Africa to reintroduce over 200 black rhinos over the last couple of years. As part of this relocation process, they continually track the wildlife to ensure their safety from poachers.
Working to protect the rhino is not a glamorous job but someone's got to do it, Image Credit: Wildlife ACT
Wildlife Tracking and Monitoring
You can only help save endangered species when you know where they are. Therefore, tracking and monitoring are vital to the applaudable work Wildlife ACT does.
Not only does tracking vulnerable wildlife help protect them from snaring, poaching, breakouts, or habitat loss, but it also enables the NGO to implement projects to relocate and reintroduce species where they'll thrive.
Tracking rhinos is an important part of protecting them
Developing Tracking Technology
To track wildlife, the organisation has to procure several technologies. For example, tracking collars such as GPS, satellite and radio collars. These enable volunteers to keep tabs on the wildlife, alerting them when they are in danger or distress.
Furthermore, Wildlife ACT is assisting with developing anti-poaching collars that will help protect animals when caught in poacher snares. Other technologies include remote camera trapping taking motion-triggered images of animals, anti-poaching transmitters that give real-time information about the wildlife's locations, rhino ankle collars, and more.
Developing technology to help track wildlife is part of Wildlife ACT's ongoing mission, Image Credit: Wildlife ACT
Community and Conservation Programmes
To save our vulnerable wildlife, we need to look at the bigger picture. As a result, Wildlife ACT works with communities living around wildlife reserves to educate them about these species, their vulnerability, why they matter, and how they can help.
They do this in multiple ways and on different levels, from in-school conservation lessons at their Kid's Bush Camp program to adult conservation seminars, Wildlife Ambassador Clubs, educational game drives, and more.
Educating communities about endangered wildlife should start at a young age, Image Credit: Wildlife ACT
Nature Conservation Programmes in Seychelles
Wildlife ACT not only protects wildlife on land but also strives to save our ocean's turtles and ecosystem in Seychelles. In this tourist hotspot, Wildlife ACT enables guests to enjoy the spectacular island while also giving back by volunteering in their ecotourism projects.
Which Species Does Wildlife ACT Protect?
Wildlife ACT works with many different species. These include African wild dogs, white and black rhino, cheetah, leopard, lion, African elephant, vulture, and green and Hawksbill turtles.
How Can I Help Wildlife ACT?
Do you want to help make a difference? Book your dream safari with Rhino Africa and enable our Impact Partners to keep doing what they do best. Contact our Travel Experts, and let's start planning!
Find out more about our other Impact Partner: The Good Work Foundation.
Featured Image Credit: Wildlife ACT
