The
Information Age is here with us! People all over the world are
getting connected in a way and rate never seen before. Social media
has redefined how people interact, making it much easier to meet new
people and instantly share tonnes of information. Information is the
de-facto currency of the internet. Mobile apps are the new game
changer. But hey! We have forgotten all about our friends in
the wild, especially those who closely resemble us - the great apes!
Our
DNA and that of the great apes is around 98% similar, but it seems
that this is where the similarities end. We have turned into their
greatest foes to the point of threatening their existence. This is
totally unfair! But I have some good news: why don’t we bring our
friends - the great apes – into the technological world that is
engulfing each of us. But how, you may be tempted to ask?
Many
fields, previously not much related, are overlapping; for example,
using technology in environmental conservation. This trove of digital
information and people’s ability to effectively use technological
tools can be combined in order to achieve greater efficiency and
impact in environmental conservation. Also, the number of people
using technology is a great human resource.
Crowdsourcing
and Data Mining
My
idea hinges on the concept of combining crowdsourcing and data
mining in saving the great apes. In developed countries, most people use computers, tablets and smartphones to share information on
the internet. In developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan
Africa, mobile apps are the new tech buzz. If we can harness this
information and store it in a central hub – such as a dedicated
crowdsourcing website (eg. Ushahidi) – then we can use it in very powerful ways.
People who access this website will be able to get real-time
information. Say you train the local community near a great ape
conservation area in Rwanda on how to report poaching activities
through sending a text message to a dedicated number, then the
relevant authorities can act pretty fast. This information can also
be sent to the central website for collation and analyses. Research
institutions e.g GRASP will also find it easy to use this information.
You can also build great web applications and tools on top of the huge
mine of information on the crowdsourcing website. Great Apes Trust
can sign up for alerts when certain name tags, such as Rwanda – as
in our previous example – are flagged; this information is then
sent to them immediately, either through email, SMS or any other
convenient way. Great ape conservation agencies can also create
applications with a tilt towards social networks so as to create
wider platforms for collaboration. For example, you can create a
Facebook-based game which is addictive and fun to play, but which
teaches people the importance of saving great apes. This kind of
education is indispensable, viral, and it can be quite effective in
saving our great friends – Great Apes!
