mock-up : a hard news story on animal conservation
- Jade Teo
- Jan 29, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 31, 2021
Youths develop smartphone application for tracking of endangered pangolins
Non-profit Animal Conservation Organisation (ACO) developed a new application, ‘digitalanimal’, which will track tagged Sunda pangolins in real time. It will be used to capture signs of life, sightings, and ecological observations.
Animal Conservation Organisation’s new application ‘digitalanimal’, which tracks tagged pangolins in real time. PHOTO: ANIMAL CONSERVATION ORGANISATION 1
The pangolin is the world’s most poached animal, with the native Sunda being one of eight of its species of armoured mammals and one of two labelled Critically Endangered. The research and development began the following year when Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) and National Parks Board (NParks) planned to monitor Sandshrew, an abandoned baby pangolin which was found and rescued in 2016.
“We need to give a voice to those who can’t defend themselves or speak up against a frightening enemy. Since strict regulations weren’t working, we tried a new technique to aid in their survival. Each pangolin would be given an individualised barcode tag and our mobile app would record its movements and send geotagged data to us,” said Ms Margaret P, founder of ACO.
ACO, a local wildlife conservation group run by youths aged 15 to 20, spearheaded the project which consists of a simple smartphone application setup and tracking software capabilities. Supported by WRS and NParks, the prototype was used to successfully monitor Sandshrew.
Though we are aware of certain characteristics of these mammals, when scientists asked about how pangolins behave in the wild, very little can be answered with extreme certainty and specificity.
“It will be an excellent way to study the pangolins firsthand without invading their habitats,” said Dr Venisri Raj, senior veterinarian at Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (ACRES). 2
Implementation of the tracking software also ensures that the live monitoring feeds for each pangolin will be sent to wildlife officials and authorities to decrease any crimes, like trafficking and illegal trade.
“With the smart GPS function in the app, if any pangolin has been taken from their habitats, we will know.” said Ms P.
The system will enable ACO to collect and transmit data to relevant authorities that will be able to respond quicker in order to prevent more attacks.
“It is not something we aim at doing for only once,” said Dr Leong Chee Chiew, its director-general for wildlife trade control for NParks. “For us, we as the appointed authority for animal and wildlife management, will work against wildlife traffickers.” 3&4
Ms P tells The Straits Times that ACO has begun to further develop the application’s software to aid more endangered species.
Though the primary focus will be to track wildlife, there will be a secondary function to educate the public. She shares their plans to use the interactive element of Augmented Reality by having users take photographs of their surroundings with an animal from their ‘Vanishing Species’ list. 5
Animal Conservation Organisation’s new application ‘digitalanimal’ has an additional feature which includes factoids and ways wildlife agencies have taken to protecting these ‘Vanishing Species’. PHOTO: ANIMAL CONSERVATION ORGANISATION 5
This expansion will include an introduction to the ‘Vanishing Species’ by featuring factoids about the animals, focusing on those critically endangered such as the elephants, rhinoceros and pangolins. Additionally, users will read up ways the various wildlife agencies in Singapore have taken to protecting these animals.
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