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Eco · Conservation & wildlife · published 2026-09-03 · via The Guardian

African conservationists learn drone and tech skills to protect wildlife

Image via The Guardian
Image via The Guardian

A training course at Lapalala Wilderness in South Africa is teaching conservation professionals from 11 African countries how to use and maintain technology like thermal drones. The Connected Conservation Foundation has installed tech systems in parks across Africa, helping protect nearly 10 million hectares. The course aims to address a critical gap in technical expertise among park staff.

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The practical session at Lapalala follows a 10-module online curriculum launched in July 2025, which drew 680 participants globally in its first year. Sixteen top performers earned places at the South African reserve, joined by five Peace Parks trainees. Instruction covers operation, maintenance, and repair of equipment including thermal drones and software platforms like EarthRanger, addressing a shortage of technical expertise among park staff across the continent.

CCF's technology installations since 2015 span parks protecting nearly 10 million hectares. During the demonstration, a thermal drone located a cheetah with cubs within minutes despite moonless conditions. Kanyak

Expanded detail and Context are AI-generated analysis; the linked article remains the authoritative source.
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This summary is AI-generated and original to Mobble; the linked article is the authoritative source. Original headline: “Bring on the drones: how a technology revolution is being rolled out across Africa’s nature reserves.” Browse more stories.