Sunday, October 12, 2008

Texting from an Elephant

When I first heard about it I was like what!?!? An elephant sending a text message. Did elephant stand for something else? Well no it was actually the animal an elephant that send a text message to authorities once it reached a certain region. In Kenya, people from the Save the Elephants group found an innovative way of alarming farmers when crop raiders (the elephants) were outside their regular habitat. Each year groups of elephants were raiding local farmers crops destroying family income. As far as prevention there wasn't much however until the wildlife service had to kill several elephants. The reality is that the population is increasing and the necessity for food as well as family income is necessary for survival. However with this new system in place once the text message is sent if the elephant has strayed away from its regular habitat then authorities try to lead him back in and far away from the crop land. This sounds like a safe non-invasive way, since the SIM card is place on a collar the elephant wears. I just hope there isn't any abuse when identifying the elephants that are 'trespassing'. Just imagine hundreds of years ago...the elephants were the ones being trespassed on.

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