Tactics & Technology

At Patrol, we believe that stopping poaching isn't just about using high-tech tools or buying pricey gear. Innovative techniques, local knowledge, and active community involvement, along with useful technologies, work together to stop poaching.

By thoroughly understanding and applying these different strategies, anti-poaching teams can make a significant difference.

River Patrols: Silent and Strategic Monitoring

Teams can approach suspicious activity more closely without being detected, thanks to silent river patrol boats, which increases the likelihood of stopping it.

Anti-poaching teams frequently use river patrols to stop poachers, seize illegal wildlife goods, and protect important ecosystems from exploitation for profit.

Aerial Support: Boosting Surveillance from Above

Aerial support is a crucial component of strong anti-poaching operations. Rangers can quickly survey large regions that would take days to explore on foot by using helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft or drones.

Drones do more than monitor areas; they also provide rangers with important information that helps them plan the most effective patrol routes, identify weak spots, and respond quickly to new threats.

Aerial support makes anti-poaching units significantly more effective and enables them to cover a greater area. It also provides them with information that is more accurate and up-to-date than anything else.

Informant Network System: Giving local intelligence more power

One of the best tools for stopping poaching isn't a machine; it's people. Local informant networks enable communities and ranger teams to communicate privately and securely.

Informants utilize their comprehensive, real-world expertise to warn patrols about potential risks and criminal activities that are already underway.

These reliable local sources typically know how to spot signs of poaching, such as newly cleared roads, unusual vehicles, or suspicious gatherings.

Community Involvement

People who live near natural areas generally have the most to gain from conservation efforts. Patrol encourages people in the community to get involved and support from the ground up.

Community-led projects can range from awareness-raising campaigns to local ranger programs that provide employment opportunities and foster pride in conservation efforts.

At Patrol, we believe that the most effective way to combat poaching is to combine innovative ideas, advanced technology, local informant networks, and active community engagement.

These targeted, well-thought-out techniques work together to safeguard species and their habitats in a way that is both long-lasting and successful.

Post of Tactics & Technology

VOLUME 75

Inside the Ops Room: Tech-Driven Wildlife Protection (6-minute Video)

This video offers a behind-the-scenes look at a central Operations Room (Ops Room) in LUWIRE, Mozambique, dedicated to biodiversity monitoring and anti-poaching efforts. It explores how modern technology is integrated with ground-level enforcement to protect wildlife and manage ranger patrols with precision.

VOLUME 74

Cellphones in Anti-Poaching (5-Minute Video)

Bruce Martin and Aston Sparks from Lake Albert Safaris explain how cellphones have changed anti-poaching work in Uganda's Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve, and not just for the rangers. Rangers photograph snares, log positions, and stay in touch across the remote wilderness areas. Poachers track ranger movements and shift bushmeat

VOLUME 68

All Night in Ambush (8-minute Video)

There’s a starry-eyed perception of anti-poaching work that makes for exciting action TV. Armed rangers, night-vision pursuits, poachers in handcuffs. But. The reality is, it’s mostly about hours and hours of walking, watching, waiting. Sitting in the dark, listening to the bush, squashing mosquitoes, hoping tonight’s the

VOLUME 65

Fighting on Fumes: The Issue of Funding (6-minute Video)

The Phalaborwa Natural Heritage Foundation (PNHF) is a non-profit organization based in Phalaborwa, South Africa, situated on the border of the Kruger National Park. Phalaborwa is uniquely positioned as the only town with a gate into Kruger National Park within its town limits. PNHF focuses on assisting nature reserves with

VOLUME 63

Cattle Out, Wildlife In (6-minute Video)

Along the eastern shores of Lake Albert in western Uganda's Hoima District lies a wilderness area you've probably never heard of. The Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve stands as the only ecologically intact savannah along a 200-kilometer stretch of lakeshore. Established initially as a controlled hunting area in

VOLUME 63

Can the Cascade from Wildlife to Cattle to Camels and Desertification be Prevented?

By Dr Daniel Stiles In Volume 61 of Patrol, a staff writer published ‘The Inevitable Cascade: From Wildlife to Cattle to Camels, Comparing the Desertification of Arabia and East Africa’. I would agree with every word in the title except for the word ‘inevitable’. I once called the camel “a

VOLUME 63

The Life Through Wildlife Strategic Plan (8-minute Video)

The Life Through Wildlife Strategic Plan (2025-2029) outlines a vision for developing an inclusive $30 billion wildlife economy in Southern Africa. The plan focuses on transforming conservation efforts by prioritizing community-led governance, sustainable financing, and knowledge-based capacity-building. These are the key aspects of the strategic plan.

VOLUME 62

The Busanga Plains: A Wetland Paradise Under Pressure

By Zig Mackintosh Saddling the Kafue National Park and the Lunga-Busanga Game Management Area (GMA) in Northern Zambia, the Busanga Plains span 720 square kilometers of seasonal floodplain. Through ancient flood channels, the Lufupa River flows, creating one of Africa's great wetland wildernesses that supports extraordinary biodiversity. From

VOLUME 62

The Right to Decide?

By Prof Brian Child Key Takeaways: * Rural African Communities should be allowed to decide whether to use a natural resource or not, and to benefit from it if they do. * Community conservation can be classified according to the degree of rights devolution. * Wildlife legislation in Zimbabwe was centered around the

VOLUME 62

Using Technology to Combat Poaching (9-minute Video)

In today’s world, technology has become part of everyday life. This applies even to the most remote wilderness areas in Africa. Cellphone coverage has enabled poachers in many places, including Coutada 11 in Mozambique, to communicate. Although coverage is not good across the concession, poachers are aware of the

VOLUME 62

Snare Wars Casualties (7-minute Video)

Since May 2013, the Phalaborwa Natural Heritage Foundation has added 8,000 snares to their “snare poles”, which already had 2,000 snares on them. These snares were collected during patrols by the organization’s rangers and during snare sweeps conducted by volunteers on various properties around the Kruger National

VOLUME 61

Room for Cattle and Wildlife (8-minute Video)

The Wilberforce Ranch in the Matobo Hills of Southern Zimbabwe, Africa is a model example of how private enterprise and community involvement can mutually benefit from wildlife conservation. However, a crucial piece of tactics and technology is the fence line separating the cattle and wildlife sections. Keeping domestic cattle out

VOLUME 61

The Inevitable Cascade: From Wildlife to Cattle to Camels, Comparing the Desertification of Arabia and East Africa

Key Takeaways: * On the rangelands in Kenya, wildlife was replaced with cattle, which is presently being replaced with camels. * Although this appears to be an adaptive change, it is the next step in an unstoppable progression to ecosystem collapse. * The Arabian Peninsula provides a chilling preview of what's

VOLUME 61

The Weight of Protection: An Anti-Poaching Ranger's Patrol Pack (7-minute Video)

Zambezi Delta Safaris' anti-poaching rangers typically use motorbikes to reach remote areas of the coutada where they establish make-shift bush camps from which day patrols can be conducted. Before each patrol deployment, the anti-poaching manager gathers the rangers for a comprehensive briefing. This pre-patrol meeting covers specific tactics &

VOLUME 60

Rebuilding a Game Reserve (6-minute Video)

Safari hunting was banned in Uganda, Africa in 1979, marking the end of what had been a thriving industry. This occurred during a period of severe political upheaval and wildlife devastation. The almost 30,000 elephants that Uganda had at independence were reduced to only 2,000 in 1985. After

VOLUME 60

Property and Equity

By Prof Brian Child Economic efficiency results from clearly defined property rights and exchange in free markets and is independent of who owns the resources. Nonetheless, Coase (1960) and others acknowledge that the question of who owns the resources is also important. Ignoring these distributional issues gives free market economics

VOLUME 59

Beyond Economics: How Culture Shapes Africa's Protein Consumption Patterns

In the bustling markets of Accra, a kilogram of bushmeat costs more than premium beef, yet consumers consistently choose the wild meat option. This phenomenon, repeated across urban centers throughout Africa, reveals a fundamental truth about protein consumption on the continent: cultural forces often override pure economic logic, creating consumption

VOLUME 59

Conservation on a Shoestring (6-minute Video)

When we think of wildlife conservation, we often picture vast national parks, million-dollar budgets, and international organizations with armies of researchers. However, some of the most powerful conservation stories are written by small-time operators working with limited resources, big hearts, community involvement and an unshakeable belief in their mission. The

VOLUME 59

The Forgotten Heroes: Why World Rangers Day Must Include All Anti-Poaching Heroes

By Zig Mackintosh July 31, 2025 - World Rangers Day In the pre-dawn darkness across Africa's most remote wilderness areas, where few Western tourists ever dare to set foot, thousands of rangers shoulder their rifles, check their radios, don their heavy backpacks, and step into landscapes where a

VOLUME 57

When Conservation Meets Community (6-minute Video)

An extraordinary partnership in the ancient granite landscape of the Matobo Hills of Western Zimbabwe is proving that private enterprise and community can thrive when wildlife is used sustainably. When the Johnson brothers, Guav and Courteney, partnered with the communal land residents who had long struggled with poverty and limited

VOLUME 57

Normalizing Hatred and Hypocrisy: The Con-selfserving-ationists of the UK's Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting (and those who agree with them)

By Hank's Voice The celebrity led, UK based, Campaign To Ban Trophy Hunting (CBTH) must not be making enough money from selling their ugly T-shirts and peddling their even fouler lies, as they're amping up their antics again, desperately hoping to hoodwink a gullible public and

VOLUME 56

Botswana's Agricultural Fortress: Inside the Pandamatenga Project

Located in northern Botswana, a 160-kilometre electric fence encircles the nation's "food basket", but the project's ambitious expansion plans and wildlife controversies reveal the complex matrix of food security in modern Africa. With fertile black cotton soils and an annual rainfall of 600 millimeters,

VOLUME 56

Zambeze Delta Safaris' Anti-Poaching Ranger Training (5-minute Video)

Mark Haldane, director of Zambeze Delta Safaris (ZDS), accepts that funding remains the perpetual challenge facing comprehensive anti-poaching operations in Mozambique. The reality is stark: safari operations alone simply don't generate sufficient revenue to sustain both a profitable business and the extensive conservation efforts his organization pursues at

VOLUME 56

Off-Duty Security Awareness for Rangers

By Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Dilguerian De Oliveira Conceição According to current global statistics, two rangers lose their lives in the line of duty every week, with over 1,000 rangers killed worldwide and many more injured over the last 10 years. Nearly 9 out of 10 African rangers (88.6%

VOLUME 55

The Critical Importance of Disruption

By Prof Brian Child The last few centuries have seen the most rapid transformation of human society in history. The misery of an agrarian economy based on feudal ownership was replaced by the current era of prosperity and personal freedoms that so many of us are fortunate to enjoy. This

VOLUME 55

The Matobo Hills: A Unique Conservation Venture (5-minute Video)

The breathtaking scenery of the Matobo Hills in South-western Zimbabwe, Africa, with its multitude of massive round granite domes with gigantic boulders of various sizes balanced on top, creating what looks like natural art, has been sculpted over millions of years by sun, wind and water. The hills, known locally

VOLUME 55

Still My Beating Heart: Killing Hummingbirds for Love

By Hanks Voice It's difficult to find someone not fascinated by and attracted to hummingbirds. They are universally alluring avian marvels that are highly recognizable, tiny in stature, capable of incredible, almost helicopter-like maneuvers in flight, and bejeweled with stunning iridescent plumage. Sightings of them are coveted in

Anti Poaching Operations

Mayo Oldiri, Anti-poaching Operations in Cameroon

By Raquel Reguera The safari hunting industry is changing. I recently had dinner with an old friend, a big outfitter today, and we joked about it. When we both started (almost at the same time, more than 25 years ago), we mostly showed photos of the big trophies taken; now,

Tactics & Technology

Isibaya: Stock Replacement System

Program directors Vaughan Whitehead-Wilson and Gibson Ncube explain the Isibaya stock replacement system in this second episode. Instead of paying cash for livestock loss to predators such as a leopard, the program replaces the animal with a similar-aged one. This innovative conservation program has enormous potential to: * Protect predators in

Poaching Threats

The Curse of Commercial Gambling Poaching (9-min Video)

The WOW Africa Group operates in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, bordering the Ithala Game Reserve. Here, the main poaching threat isn’t subsistence meat hunting, it’s commercial gambling poaching using large packs of trained dogs. In these illegal hunts, gangs release dogs to chase and kill wildlife, with outcomes

Anti Poaching Operations

Re-wilding a Wilderness: Coutada 9, Mozambique

By Neil Duckworth and Ed Rosenfels Coutadas: Mozambique’s Unique Conservation Areas In Mozambique, coutadas are officially designated National Conservation Areas created to protect fauna and flora through a combination of safari hunting and ecotourism. Governed by the National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC), these territories are leased to private

Informant Network System

Informer Network System (7-min Video)

Anti-poaching is not just about military-style field operations or armed patrols in the bush to intercept poachers. While boots on the ground are essential, they are only one part of the equation. Intelligence gathering plays an equally critical role, and a well-established informer network system can make the difference between

Zimbabwe

Wildlife Initiative Trust Africa (7-min Video)

The Wildlife Initiative Trust Africa was established to strengthen conservation in the Victoria Falls area and surrounding regions of Zimbabwe by introducing a K9 unit to local anti-poaching operations. These specially trained dogs and their handlers will assist in tracking poachers, detecting wildlife products such as bushmeat or ivory, and

Anti Poaching Operations

Poachers in the Hills - Editorial

In his book “Poachers in the Hills,” Nick Steele weaves the story of game warden Norman Deane’s life in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with his own experiences there. The story begins in March 1956 when Steele arrives as a 22-year-old junior ranger to serve under Deane’

Africa

How Zimbabwean Guides are Helping to Conserve Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat

Timber & Succulents

Honey for Money, But Bees Need Trees

Anti Poaching Operations

Poaching Issues Along the Banks of the Zambezi River

Anti Poaching Operations

River Patrols: Silent and Strategic Monitoring

Aerial Support: Boosting Surveillance from Above

Informant Network System: Giving local intelligence more power

Community Involvement

Post of Tactics & Technology

Inside the Ops Room: Tech-Driven Wildlife Protection (6-minute Video)

Cellphones in Anti-Poaching (5-Minute Video)

All Night in Ambush (8-minute Video)

Fighting on Fumes: The Issue of Funding (6-minute Video)

Cattle Out, Wildlife In (6-minute Video)

Can the Cascade from Wildlife to Cattle to Camels and Desertification be Prevented?

The Life Through Wildlife Strategic Plan (8-minute Video)

The Busanga Plains: A Wetland Paradise Under Pressure

The Right to Decide?

Using Technology to Combat Poaching (9-minute Video)

Snare Wars Casualties (7-minute Video)

Room for Cattle and Wildlife (8-minute Video)

The Inevitable Cascade: From Wildlife to Cattle to Camels, Comparing the Desertification of Arabia and East Africa

The Weight of Protection: An Anti-Poaching Ranger's Patrol Pack (7-minute Video)

Rebuilding a Game Reserve (6-minute Video)

Property and Equity

Beyond Economics: How Culture Shapes Africa's Protein Consumption Patterns

Conservation on a Shoestring (6-minute Video)

The Forgotten Heroes: Why World Rangers Day Must Include All Anti-Poaching Heroes

When Conservation Meets Community (6-minute Video)

Normalizing Hatred and Hypocrisy: The Con-selfserving-ationists of the UK's Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting (and those who agree with them)

Botswana's Agricultural Fortress: Inside the Pandamatenga Project

Zambeze Delta Safaris' Anti-Poaching Ranger Training (5-minute Video)

Off-Duty Security Awareness for Rangers

The Critical Importance of Disruption

The Matobo Hills: A Unique Conservation Venture (5-minute Video)

Still My Beating Heart: Killing Hummingbirds for Love

Mayo Oldiri, Anti-poaching Operations in Cameroon

Isibaya: Stock Replacement System

The Curse of Commercial Gambling Poaching (9-min Video)

Re-wilding a Wilderness: Coutada 9, Mozambique

Informer Network System (7-min Video)

Wildlife Initiative Trust Africa (7-min Video)

Poachers in the Hills - Editorial

How Zimbabwean Guides are Helping to Conserve Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat

Honey for Money, But Bees Need Trees

Poaching Issues Along the Banks of the Zambezi River

Anti-Poaching K-9s: Take Action Dog Unit