Support Elephants, Rhinos and People

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Elephants, Rhinos, & People are currently partnering on two projects, all directly or indirectly focused on reducing human wildlife conflict in southern Africa. These projects are funded in part through generous donations from Domenic and Lauren Narducci. Initial funds provided support for our partnership with ERP known as Jumbo Shoo – Elephant Detection and Deterrence System Project that allows the peaceful cohabitation of the local human and elephant populations.

The initiative is to create a local wireless area sensor network, called ERPnet, that deters elephants from crops while preserving their access to water sources. The Jumbo Shoo project goal is to develop a standalone, cost-effective, and low maintenance system to promote human-elephant coexistence in remote African communities. As designed, the system will use two layers of detection, the first of which will detect elephants at far distances using seismic and infrasound sensing capabilities.

If elephants are detected by the first layer, the second layer will activate. The second layer will use a camera and AI image recognition software to identify whether elephants are close to designated exclusion zones (near crop fields). If an elephant is identified, the system will activate one of several deterrence measures. The deterrence methods will be determined by the time of day. When it is light outside, an infrasonic or seismic alert beyond the hearing and sensing capabilities of humans, but detectible by elephants, will be played. During the hours of darkness, a strobe light sequence will initiate. The time of day will be determined by integrated day/night sensors and the voltage output of solar panels, which will power the system in tandem with batteries. This system employs a novel wireless area network sensor system, called ERPnet, that allows the sensors to cover large areas of the African landscape to protect both people and animals.

Donations made to Jumbo Shoo will cover travel expenses for the team to deploy and test the system in Namibia. This include transporting the system to Namibia, travel costs for the students, and the tools needed to deploy the system.

Supporting Jumbo Shoo contributes to a device that has a practical solution to protect elephants and people at the same time. This project provides Embry-Riddle students with a chance to address a real-world engineering problem that supports biodiversity and local communities in Africa.

Join us in engineering a future where elephants and humans can coexist by making a gift today.

For additional information on the projects, contact Dr. Elliott Bryner at brynere@erau.edu