Conservationists use mobile phones to track elephants: 14-10-2008
Conservation experts in Kenya have found a novel way of tracking one of the earth's largest and most majestic creatures.
The Save the Elephants group has begun issuing elephants with mobile phones to wear on a collar around their neck.
But before any travellers go rushing for their cameras hoping to catch Nellie on the phone, it is worth pointing out that it's extremely unlikely the phones will ever be used in the traditional way.
Instead, GPS technology is used to track the phones, and thereby the elephants, to within a few feet, meaning that if an elephant wanders too close to a farm, conservationists can act before it becomes a problem.
Elephants had been raiding nearby farms on a frequent basis, sadly forcing Save the Elephants to kill five of the animals, which had persistently destroyed crops.
Local woman Basila Mwasu explained the villagers had threatened to kill all of the elephants as they were becoming a danger to the children of the village.
"We had to go into town to tell the game (wardens) to chase the elephants away or we’re going to kill them all," she told the Sun.
She went on to praise the new initiative, as it seems to be sorting out the problem.
"We can live together. Elephants have the right to live, and we have the right to live too."
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