Banhine National Park in Mozambique, with its pristine bushveld and vast floodplains, is a vital stopover for migratory birds and home to diverse wildlife. Thanks to support from the COmON Foundation and in collaboration with Mozambique’s National Association of Conservation Areas (ANAC), Peace Parks Foundation is actively contributing to the development and upgrading of crucial infrastructure that plays a pivotal role in safeguarding this invaluable landscape. A recent addition to the park’s infrastructure is the Operations Control Room.
Completed in 2022, the Operations Control Room serves as a hub for coordinating operations, equipped with advanced technology, including the state-of-the-art EarthRanger system for real-time animal tracking and monitoring, and the soon-to-be operational digital radio network. These systems support all the traditional work that the team conducts, from logging vehicle maintenance status to compiling statistical reports on poaching activity. A wall-sized whiteboard map enables the team to visualise and follow up on key events in the park, ranging from poaching and deforestation to human-wildlife conflict.
One of the dedicated individuals working in the Operations Control Room is Gilda Jorge, who has been a ranger at Banhine since 2018. Her daily activities involve communicating with the mobile ranger teams out in the field, coordinating their patrols, and tracking animal movements using EarthRanger. Gilda says her team’s collaboration along with tools that enable accurate reporting, play a significant role in the success of their efforts to safeguard the park’s wildlife: “I am currently working with a single team, and they really respect me. They always provide clear and accurate information, so collaboration plays a big role in our success.”
The commitment to Banhine’s infrastructure is part of Peace Parks’ broader vision of supporting the park’s dedicated teams with world-class facilities that enable professional protection of the park’s precious ecosystems. Through continuous efforts, the park is not only enhancing its capabilities for wildlife monitoring and conservation but also contributing positively to the well-being of local communities.Visit peaceparks.org/parks/banhine-national-park to discover more about the remarkable work being done at Banhine National Park and how you can support these vital conservation initiatives and developments.