Shared experience and knowledge led us to this unique project:

Create user-friendly apps that provide valid data on wildlife populations and important resources of  a reserve. The analysis of the data is expected to make a significant contribution to making informed wildlife management decisions. In addition, an efficient security system will be developed that will allow the reserve to minimize security risk.  

This is where the views of a veterinarian met the experience of a software specialist to form a promising partnership with a Wildlife Manager.

The idea was born in Botswana and developed as a team. Cross-territorial expertise was combined and mapped in a professional application. In the application, processes were refined and usability optimized. The own standards were set very high - that is the advantage when four perfectionists join forces. 

Motivation:

"In my responsible management position, I was dependent on data that was only partially available to me.

In cooperation with Dr. Glatzl, we looked for a solution.

First, we collected data by means of pen and paper. Subsequently, Jost developed the first application. From then on, we were able to determine, for example, the percentage of young animals recruited, which was not possible before.

A quantum leap was needed for security! So, we developed an ingenious system to track all persons and vehicles in real time, on the Reserve.

Under certain conditions, the system triggers a silent alarm and our guards could intervene immediately!

The genius was that we could easily retrain our long-standing staff, some of whom had no experience with computers, and some illiterate, to use this digital system"

Rindi has always had an incredible love for Nature and Wildlife. She grew up as a farm-girl from the Magaliesburg area on a cattle farm.

As a young adult she started working in the corporate world for large corporate companies like PPS, Liberty Life and Discovery, specializing in the fields of systems analysis and training.

In 2012 Rindi decided to leave the corporate jungle and focus on her art. Today Rindi is a renowned artist with some of her works hanging in New York, Paris, Vienna, Los Angeles, Dallas and London.  

In 2019 Rindi relocated to Botswana, to join her husband, Duane Jacobsz. Since 2019 Rindi volunteered for several Wildlife Interventions, such as the darting and collaring of Lions, the translocation of 20 bull Elephants, Rhino De-horning, and collaring of Wild dogs.

She was also instrumental in training Security and Anti-Poaching staff in the use of the electronic applications Digital Reserve Management developed, and now markets.

Motivation:

Having an intuitive feeling for training unskilled, and sometimes illiterate people and seeing them absorb the information and thrive, gives me intense satisfaction. Knowing that what we do, not only benefits the people, but also the Wildlife.

Seeing the people I have trained gaining confidence, and using the skills I have transferred to them  is the biggest reward imaginable.

• Doctor of agricultural veterinary medicine in Austria for 30 years,

• Sole owner of one of the largest veterinary practices in the agar sector with 25 employees and an attached laboratory

• Head of the Austrian Poultry Health Service, in this function link to the ministries

• Technical speaker at international congresses at home and abroad

• Since 2012 Shareholder in Reserve in Botswana

• Qualification for this project:

  • General knowledge of animals and their behavior

  • Veterinary specifications

  • Many years of experience in training and guiding people in successful business management

  • Specific knowledge of wildlife in Africa and wildlife management acquired in recent years

Own formative experience in Africa and motivation for these projects:

I witnessed the birth of the first calf of one of our two female rhinos. Then the senseless death of a pregnant rhino. Catastrophic was the death of two rhinos by poachers, combined with the dream for the baby rhino. As a result of the looming problems due to the glaring gender imbalance in our rhino population, I tried to import a rhino from South Africa. But this was impossible! Poaching has increased on the surrounding farms. In addition, we had lost two male rhinos again in 2023. In the same year, I was in Botswana for three months and, among other things, accompanied the reintroduction of 17 rhinos. 

The protection of the rhinos is close to my heart, that's why I get involved!

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Motivation:

I have been spending holidays in Africa and Botswana for nature observations for more than 10 years. I am an admirer of rhinos and want to contribute to the protection of animals and nature with my knowledge as a software specialist. Working in the field gives me the understanding to develop simple applications, because an application has to be fun for the user. The system requirements of Duane and Dr. Martina were very high. In addition, there were major technical challenges as there was no data reception (Wifi)! Last but not least was the feedback from Rindi, who trained the staff....

I am very proud of the local people who did not close their minds to the digital solution.

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