How thermal cameras and AI are powering rhino conservation success in Kenya
By
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Whitney Kent
© Nthiga MacHaria
Technology is proving to be one of Kenya’s most powerful tools in the fight against wildlife poaching. In recent years, Kenya has successfully reduced rhino poaching, including zero rhinos poached in 2020. These efforts have supported the country’s slowly growing rhino population over the last decade. The integration of technology into ranger patrols has played a significant role in this achievement, helping to completely halt poaching in some of Kenya’s most important rhino conservation areas like Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Solio Game Reserve.
Through the FLIR system, high-powered thermal cameras equipped with night vision and artificial intelligence can detect humans, wildlife, or vehicle movements at night. The cameras will then send automated alerts back to the operator of the camera system, allowing staff to quickly respond. The cameras have proven to be a game changer for antipoaching efforts and were first installed along the parks’ perimeters in areas at high risk for poacher intrusion—in Ol Pejeta in 2019, followed by Solio in 2023.
© WWF-US/Eric Becker
Ol Pejeta and Solio are home to the largest populations of critically endangered black rhinos in East Africa and the first two sites to launch the Kifaru Rising project in 2019. This project is a continuation of WWF and Teledyne FLIR’s collaboration to deploy FLIR thermal cameras to stop rhino poaching, expanded to a total of 11 of Kenya’s reserves at highest risk for rhino poaching. Collectively, these sites hold more than 80% of Kenya’s rhinos and are home to elephants and other threatened wildlife.
To further boost the parks’ security, in late 2024 WWF worked with our partners to install and train park staff on truck-mounted thermal security cameras for nighttime patrols. Rangers now have greater mobility and visibility as they patrol and monitor the park in the dark, significantly improving their safety while minimizing the time it takes to respond to potential threats.
Ol Pejeta has had zero poaching in its park since 2017, and Solio has had no poaching since the system switched on in late 2023.
Catching poachers in the dark
Thermal cameras are giving rangers the ability to ‘see’ at night, making it more difficult for poachers to use the cover of darkness to move through parks undetected.
Prior to the use of thermal cameras, rangers could only track poachers with K9 units and flashlights. While these methods can be successful, the sheer size of the area that rangers are tasked with patrolling makes them notably less effective. Rangers can also find themselves in chaotic and dangerous situations in near total darkness with armed poachers. With the ability to see farther at night, rangers can stop poaching before it occurs.
Strengthening relationships with communities
The deployment of technology in these conservation areas has increased ranger engagement with nearby communities. In addition to stopping poachers, thermal cameras can spot other illegal activities and threats such as theft, property damage, and human-wildlife conflict. Communities have become more willing to work with rangers after seeing the benefits of the technology. Positive relationships between rangers and communities can increase local support for conservation and enable rangers’ ability to effectively protect wildlife, nature, and the people who live in and near these areas.
For example, in Kenya’s Lake Nakuru National Park, one of the first sites WWF and FLIR collaborated on to pilot FLIR cameras, a donkey theft was captured by the cameras. Although the suspect got away, rangers and community leaders worked together to try to identify the suspect. Prior to the incident, community relations were poor, and the community was therefore suspicious of the FLIR system. They’ve since recognized the value of having the cameras near their community and the benefits of working with rangers. Community members have even been sharing information with rangers that can support antipoaching efforts, further reinforcing the importance of building trusting relationships with the communities that live among wildlife.
© WWF-US/Eric Becker
The future of thermal technology in Kenya's rhino reserves
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic halting all international travel in early 2020, Ol Pejeta Conservancy staff were able to complete the installation of the FLIR system through hundreds of hours of remote video calls with WWF and FLIR engineers. From the building and installation to configuring the network and software, Ol Pejeta staff and local partners became experts in every aspect of the FLIR system. As a result, they’ve helped to grow local capacity by training other Kenyan parks’ staff in implementing FLIR solutions, including Solio, which now operates the largest FLIR system installed in a protected area.
All 11 Kifaru Rising rhino sites are using FLIR cameras and equipment in some capacity. With the success of thermal technology significantly reducing—and in some areas, completely halting—rhino poaching in Kenya, the partnership can serve as a blueprint for the use of this technology elsewhere. Home to the third largest population of rhinos in Africa, Kenya has succeeded in reversing the decline of its black rhinos, more than doubling its population since the 1980s. The continued use and expansion of this technology in other priority wildlife areas will keep Kenya on track to achieve zero rhino poaching and reach its goal of 2,000 black rhinos by 2037.
Learn more about WWF’s Wildlife Crime Technology Project.
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