In just the first month after South Africa launched its aerial drone program in the iconic Kruger Park, 55 potential poachers were caught sneaking into the park.

When I was just 11 years old, my South African-born father took me to Kruger Park for the first time… and I was hooked. Hooked on wildlife and hooked on Africa. Kruger boasts lions and elephants, Cape buffaloes and zebras, and much more. But what sets it, and the rest of South Africa, apart is its population of rhinos: the country is home to 80% of the world’s rhino population, including more than 17,000 white and 6,000 black rhinos. 

Unfortunately, this distinction also makes parks like Kruger a special target for poachers. In traditional Asian medicine markets, rhino horns can fetch $400,000 per kilogram, making them more valuable on the black market than either elephant ivory or gold. Rhino poaching in South Africa rose by 9,000% between 2007 and 2022. Last year, an estimated 420 rhinos were killed; so far this year, more than 35 rhinos have been killed in Kruger alone. 

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Kruger Park is “ground zero” for poachers. Calling it a war zone, it estimates that there are 12 gangs in the park at any one time. Kruger presents a number of challenges for wildlife officials. It has a relatively large rhino population, but the park is one of the largest game parks in the world, which makes keeping track of rhinos and other animals there labor intensive, time consuming, and dangerous; poaching gangs are often well-armed and ruthless. As in much of South Africa, a single ranger may be responsible for patrolling as much as 62 square miles of territory, much of which has dense vegetation and challenging terrain. The Park’s wildlife itself—from elephants to lions—can also pose a threat to rangers and their work.

But just as they have revolutionized many aspects of modern life, from package delivery to warfare to humanitarian assistance, drones are transforming anti-poaching strategies. Aerial drones allow rangers and researchers to extend their monitoring work to much larger areas of parks and protected areas. Unlike land-bound patrols trying to make their way through the bush, drones aren’t deterred or slowed by difficult terrain. Since more and more drones are being equipped with infrared cameras, they can more effectively monitor rhinos—and poachers—in the dark, when most poaching occurs.

The early returns on Kruger Park’s drone program have been promising. In its first month alone, 55 potential poachers were caught sneaking into the park. In the months that followed, overall poaching activity and attacks on wildlife have continued to fall. In some places, solar-powered collars have been added to help monitor rhino movements. 

Some drones have even been augmented with AI software, which helps them detect changes in a rhino’s behavior. For example, if an animal is running around when it would normally be sleeping, ranger teams are alerted that something might be threatening the animal’s health or wellbeing. The augmented drones provide both an exact location for a ground team to respond and a video that records what’s happening. Using precise locations and real time depictions of conditions, the drones enable officials to rapidly perform their duties in ways that are least disruptive to other wildlife and the affected area’s habitat. 

The introduction of drone technology to wildlife management isn’t a perfect solution to the problem of poaching in Africa. First, many countries either prohibit or lack the regulatory framework to safely allow the usage of drones in their airspace. In 65% of countries, users require special permission to employ drones for conservation purposes, and only half of Africa’s 54 countries possess a full regulatory landscape for drone use. There are also cost barriers to drone use in Africa. Licensing costs are 10 times higher on average than in the US. Additionally, the initial cost of purchasing the drones can be significant. Large game parks—where most rhinos live—often require drones that have batteries big enough to last six to eight hours. These can range anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000 per drone. 

For countries and governments with tight budgets and pressing development needs, $250,000 is a lot of money. But for rhinos, the world’s most critically endangered species, these drones could just be, as the old advertising slogan goes, priceless. 

This blog was researched and drafted with the assistance of Caitlyn Shrewsbury.