Conservation in the Classroom Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Host: Kate
• Audience: Students, teachers, and parents
• Interaction encouraged via chat box
• Presentation by Eric Becker, conservation engineer at WWF

Presenter Introduction

• Eric Becker's background:
  • Conservation engineer at WWF US
  • First engineer hired by WWF US
  • Passion for animals and technology
  • Lives in Pensacola, Florida
• Prior experience with military drones and remote vehicles

Conservation Engineering Overview

What is Conservation?

• Care and protection of natural resources (air, minerals, plants, soil, water, wildlife) to ensure their persistence for future generations.

What is Engineering?

• Application of science and math to solve problems.

Eric's Role at WWF

• Focus on wildlife-related issues including:
  • Anti-poaching initiatives
  • Mitigating human-wildlife conflicts
  • Collaborating with rangers and researchers

Technology in Conservation

Challenges in Conservation

• Remote areas lack access to modern technology
• Difficulty in tracking wildlife due to vast areas

Technologies Used

• Thermal Cameras:
  • Detect heat signatures to monitor wildlife and prevent poaching.
  • Ability to see at night and identify warm-blooded animals.
• Drones:
  • Used for surveillance and monitoring.
  • Drones help in pushing elephants back into protected areas to avoid human-wildlife conflict.
• Tracking Devices:
  • Lightweight collars for wildlife tracking.
• Camera Traps:
  • Capture images of wildlife in action; utilize AI to filter through images.
• Artificial Intelligence:
  • Analyzes data from cameras and sensors to identify threats.

Case Studies and Success Stories

• Kafaru Rising Project:
  • Aims to stop rhino poaching in Kenya by installing thermal cameras across national parks.
• Successful arrest of poachers using real-time alerts from camera systems.

Personal Experiences in the Field

• Eric’s scary moment with a lion encounter during a patrol.
• Tracking animals like elephants using satellite technology and GPS.

Importance of Community Engagement

• Involvement of local communities is crucial for the conservation effort.
• Education and awareness driven by technology and engagement with wildlife.

Final Thoughts

• Encouragement for students:
  • Explore engineering and technology through hands-on projects (Arduino, Raspberry Pi).
  • Join makerspaces and STEM programs.

Q&A Session Highlights

• Key questions addressed include:
  • What do you love about your job?
  • How to distinguish poachers from locals?
  • Success stories and challenges faced in the field.
  • The importance of perception of risk for poachers.

Resources for Further Learning

• WWF resources available through the conservation classroom webpage.
• Kahoot trivia quiz for students.