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VIVOTEK saves the rhino

Once the private hunting ground of the Zulu warrior, King Shaka, the Thula Thula Game Reserve in Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, is now a vital sanctuary for the region’s wildlife. In 2009, under the leadership of international conservationist Lawrence Anthony and his wife Francoise Malby-Anthony, the Reserve joined two others to form a contiguous 500 000-acre area known collectively as the Royal Zulu Biosphere.

Providing an oasis for a wide variety of animals, including African elephant, buffalo, white rhino, leopard, giraffe, zebra, nyala, hyena, crocodile, kudu, wildebeest as well as other indigenous species, Thula Thula is also home to over 350 species of birdlife.

The mission of the reserve, and Anthony’s legacy, is the protection of the region’s endangered wildlife, in particular the rhinoceroses threatened by illegal hunting. Rhinos orphaned by such poaching need care and protection – or as Thula Thula means in Zulu, 'Peace and Tranquility'.

The orphanage to protect baby rhinos was established some time ago by a team of hard working conservationists and philanthropists, including Warren McAllister of Protection Through Innovation. However, the rudimentary structures of the enclosure needed to be complemented with advanced IP surveillance technology – a system capable of protecting the orphaned rhinos around the clock, and providing the staff with vital security assistance. Protection Through Innovation teamed up with VIVOTEK, its distributor, Rectron SA, and local security company, Dimension Security.

VIVOTEK agreed to sponsor the project by providing top-of-the-range network cameras and network video recorders to the rhino orphanage.

Working hand-in-hand with Dimension Security, Rectron SA, and staff at the orphanage, VIVOTEK provided 24 network cameras, 2 NVRs (network video recorders), and one PoE switch – both outdoor dome and outdoor ­bullet-type cameras. The outdoor dome cameras came complete with weather-proof IP66-rated and vandal-proof IK10-rated housing, day and night protection with advanced IR illuminators, and WDR technology to capture detail in both dark and bright images – vital in the glare of the South African environment. The outdoor bullet cameras also offer weatherproof IP67 rated housing, and heightened day and night functionality with built-in IR illuminators with a range of up to 20 metres, enabling rhino to be tracked and protected through the darkest hours of the night.

VIVOTEK NVRs with embedded 16 channel standalone capability, plug-and-play functionality, and one button auto setup acted to connect all IP cameras and provide intuitive surveillance management solutions to the team at the rhino orphanage. The usability of VIVOTEK’s total IP surveillance system mean that the staff were able to focus on the job foremost in their hearts, protecting and nurturing the young rhinos and helping them to grow.

As testament to this impact, Warren McAllister of the Thula Thula Rhino Fund wrote: “Save our Orphan Rhinos have found ourselves on a roller coaster of generosity for which we are truly grateful! Our sincere thanks go out to our equipment sponsors VIVOTEK who so generously sponsored us with their top of the range camera equipment, ensuring 24-hour security for these orphaned rhinos. We would also like to thank all the smaller companies and private individuals who cared enough to give.

“With a cause like this, every cent helps and every individual’s contribution is a step further in turning a dream into a reality, no matter how small. We were touched by the generosity of the human spirit.”

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