Poaching is one of the biggest problems facing Africa today—well, this barbarity is truly a problem for the continent and the rest of the world, as we watch animal species being taken from us. To try and remedy this, the Republic of Niger has decided to use technological assistance by deploying a fleet of drones . This is how they plan to combat this practice.
The Addax, on the brink of extinction
The addax antelope is a species of artiodactyl mammal in the Bovidae family with a very distinctive appearance. Its face features a white, X-shaped mask, a dark forehead, and vertically growing horns that curl in a spiral. Its body is also white, which has led to it being known as the "white antelope . "
Poaching and severe droughts have brought it to the brink of extinction, to the point that it has ended up on the famous IUCN "red list", which estimates that there are now fewer than 100 individuals left in the wild.
Technology as a way to protect wildlife
Niger does not want to end up saying goodbye to one of its most special inhabitants and has decided to try to remedy the hunting of this animal by using a new ally: drones.
The fleet of these robots will monitor the Termit-Tintoumma nature reserve, tracking not only the endangered addax but also the gazelles and cheetahs that inhabit the area. As for the supplier of these flying robots, a French company called Noe has been chosen for this task—the drone's specifications are unknown—signing a 20-year contract that covers not only the drones themselves but also the associated services used to control them.
iAfrikan points out that Niger has also been chosen by the US to establish a new drone base—a military base costing $240 million. The country is thus becoming a major hub for these devices, which have already been used in many other activities beyond mere entertainment.
Drones have been used in rescue operations as well as military reconnaissance missions. They also made headlines some time ago when ISIS tragically used them as projectile weapons. Fortunately, this time their prominence is for a good cause. Let's hope they ultimately serve their purpose and help prevent the excessive hunting of the addax and many other living beings that suffer from this inhumane activity.