home » Chimpanzee Chat » Saving Chimpanzees, One App at a Time

Saving Chimpanzees, One App at a Time

Fri, 2012-09-14 08:57 — angela

Who doesn’t love mobile apps? They make life easier and are so much fun to use. Working with chimpanzees at the Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary, I can’t help but think of how mobile apps could help create awareness. Imagine a mobile application developed to allow you to take photos of chimpanzees and get all the information on them immediately. The information could include the chimpanzees name, history, general details about chimpanzees and how you can take action to help prevent chimpanzees from becoming extinct.

Information is a powerful tool for change and the application could be used to not only educate on chimpanzees but to educate on environmental destruction and the effects this has on plants and animals worldwide. App users would be encouraged to respect and take stewardship of the natural world and the animals within it. The information would be readily available for sharing via social networking sites – reaching audiences far and wide.

The level of awareness regarding rhino poaching is such that rhinos now have an international day celebrating them. With an application giving users information on great apes and enabling them to share we could soon have a World Great Ape Day to celebrate our closest living relatives!

Chimpanzee VocalizationTechnology could be used for more than just awareness; it could be used to protect great apes in their habitat. Through Dr. Jane Goodall’s research, it was discovered that chimpanzees communicate just like humans and one of the ways they communicate is through sounds and calls. Why not use these chimpanzee vocalizations to protect them? Microphones that link to a central system could be placed around wild chimpanzee territories. A computer system would then listen to the sounds and identify what each means. Once the computer system recognizes a chimpanzee distress sound, it would send a message to rangers alerting them of the danger. This system would alert authorities on possible poaching or illegal logging activities.

Four years ago, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy made headlines all over the world. We had an elephant that could send text messages! Thanks to a pioneering project by Save the Elephants, Kimani’s collar was placed with a SIM card that would alert rangers in the Conservancy whenever he got close the community fence. This innovative idea saved both the farmers crops and the elephant’s life. I have no doubt technology can be used to save great apes too. Thanks to GRASP-UNEP’s blogging competition that is looking for ways technology can save great apes, maybe Ol Pejeta will get a chance to make headlines again with a technological advancement helping chimpanzees or as the testing ground for another innovative idea mentioned by other contestants.
 

Comments

Ben (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-14 09:09

Great article Angela!!

Kevin Wabungo (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-14 09:09

Yes indeed this is a major step if it can be actualized to the help save the species...

sammy (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-14 09:09

I think you have very interesting ideas and I believe technology can definitely save great apes

Benjamin Ngaira (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-14 09:12

This is a great article Angie.

Brenda (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-14 14:41

Great idea, keep up the good work. I'm sure Apple or any other organisation could help with this concept, all for a good cause. All the best.

Ciku (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-14 15:23

This is such an innovative and creative idea! We need to save the chimpanzees from extinction. What a brilliant way to use technology!

Sam (not verified)

Sat, 2012-09-15 08:11

The interpretation of chimps vocalization is a brilliant idea...i would love to know what chimps are saying every-time they makes calls. All the best!

Tanja (not verified)

Sat, 2012-09-15 22:11

These animals are not your property, they belong to nature. Imagine if somebody would use this app on you!
Neither they are your toys, so stop this nonsense and set them free!

Dorothy (not verified)

Thu, 2012-09-20 14:19

With all due respect Chimpanzees population have dropped drastically in the last 10 years. People dont care about them and in Congo they are food to put in the table. Their DNA is 99% same as yours, how would you feel seeing a human being being served as lunch or dinner? We are only trying to help them otherwise they will be extinct just like the Dodo. We encroach their habitats and not vice versa. Not all human beings are keen about conservation. If this app was the only way to save our race (reverse role), then i would go for it 100%. We need to leave a legacy for coming generations.

Wangu (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-28 12:30

I think you haven't read what the app is about, It is a great idea. True they belong to nature but human beings are bent on killing them for selfish gain, and this app is all about. Read lady read, this is not non sense.

Adriana K. (not verified)

Wed, 2012-09-19 17:49

I am also a Finalist in the GRASP-UNEP blog competition, and I just wanted to say I LOVE your idea of using distress vocalizations to alert rangers of approaching threats to wild chimps.

Thanks for all your great work at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy!

Dorothy (not verified)

Thu, 2012-09-20 14:11

This is so wonderful Angela. i think its very workable especially with the loudspeakers being placed at strategic places in the conservancy. This will help a great deal even identifying distress call for the ones in the wild. The key is first to know their language and what is a better way than your idea. I LOVE IT.

Muthoni Njagi (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-21 14:26

this is such an amazing idea. I hope you win Angela.

Elaine Kamari (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-21 16:20

Congratulations on your blog making it to the top five. I am wishing you all the best in the GRASP competition. We shared your blog on our blog, hopefully it will help get the word out there. Goodluck again.

Here is a link: http://elainekamari.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/great-apes-and-blogging/

T.Nyangiya (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-21 23:00

Great brains like Angela's, we need more in this world.

Bertha (not verified)

Sat, 2012-09-22 21:28

Great Stuff!!

Amo (not verified)

Mon, 2012-09-24 14:10

Brilliant article girlie!

thomas otieno (not verified)

Mon, 2012-09-24 15:28

keep it up good work wish you well!

paul (not verified)

Mon, 2012-09-24 16:20

u are 2moh Angela's, kep it on

Martin Nyaga (not verified)

Tue, 2012-09-25 15:35

Would be a great innovation

Nelson (not verified)

Tue, 2012-09-25 16:30

That's a splendid idea Angela, go, go, go for it!

Nelson (not verified)

Tue, 2012-09-25 16:37

That's so creative and innovative of you, go, go, Angela!

Don Marcel (not verified)

Tue, 2012-09-25 19:30

This is an awesome idea. Lets protect our wildlife and ensure that they will be around for future generations

Njeri Muturi (not verified)

Wed, 2012-09-26 10:40

How do i vote for you in the ongoing competition??

Sammy Njoroge (not verified)

Wed, 2012-09-26 12:18

Fantastick never given chimps communication a second thought...........Lovely Angela, and Yes! World Great Ape Day, bring it on we are not afraid of mistakes...................

Cecily Nyaga (not verified)

Wed, 2012-09-26 16:19

Very innovative

JP (not verified)

Wed, 2012-09-26 16:27

I have a question on feasibility.... Will most people take a picture of a chimpanzee in a zoo and already have most of this information. Or is this app for people who go on safari?

Abdalla Said Shah (not verified)

Wed, 2012-09-26 18:20

This absolutely fantastic innovation

leon (not verified)

Wed, 2012-09-26 20:47

Quite insightful.....great stuff,great job

Nyambura Muhuriri (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-28 10:41

I am very impressed by your work.Keep it up.

Nyambura Muhuriri (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-28 10:45

It is an amazing and brilliant article.Keep it up.I wish you the very best and hope you emerge top.Looking out for you!

julius Muriuki (not verified)

Fri, 2012-09-28 11:12

the highest time we used technology to save what we hold dear ,especially the threatened and vulnerable species. good idea.

james s. supeet (not verified)

Sat, 2012-09-29 12:44

briliant idea.

Salome Aganda (not verified)

Mon, 2012-11-05 09:07

Angela this is a great article and you have the best ideas. It is so sad, alarming and shocking that humans feed on this species. Very sad and I hope that GRASP-UNEP will consider your ideas as solutions to saving these endangered species.

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