Wildtrack Inc.

“Refunds and credits 554 total 554”

“Expenses office expense 738 international travel 5,003 meetings 435 field costs 1,266 communications 473 local travel 2,608 professional memberships 513 miscellaneous 343 non-investment depreciation 1,931 total 13,310”

“Vehicle 9,652 9,652 less accumulated depreciation 1,930 3,861 total 7,722 5,791”

“To improve endangered species monitoring for the purpose of mitigating human wildlife conflict and the illegal trafficking of products from endangered species. Wildtrack focuses particularly on non-invasive, cost-effective and animal friendly methods of monitoring. The conservation of endangered species and the assessment of their associated ecosystems can only be achieved if reliable data on numbers and distribution is available. These data are key to the implementation of strategies for protection and management. Fit can provide these data. Using only digital images of footprints, fit can identify at the species, individual, age-class and sex levels. Thus using a footprint census, the numbers and distribution of these species can be determined. Wildtrack's objectives are therefore: 1. To develop and apply non-invasive, and objective censusing and monitoring techniques as a fundamental resource for wildlife conservation. The footprint identification technique (fit), and others based on non- invasive approaches, can provide accurate and objective data to monitor endangered species. 2. To engage expert local ecological knowledge in communities who have lived with endangered and elusive species over generations. 3. To use the power of scientific networking to augment data collection from endangered species around the world. Footprint are ubiquitous and can be easly and opportunistically collected by anyone with a smartphone or camera.”

“Use of technology for the mitigation of human - wildlife conflict. Providing consulting services for the namibian ministry of environment and tourism to form a collaborative research unit for the mitigation of human - wildlife conflict in southern africa. This included hosting a visit to the usa by the namibian permanent secretary for the environment, dr malan lindeque, and chief ecologist of the ministry of environment and tourism, mr kenneth uiseb to draw up a proposal for the monitoring of namibia's black rhino in custodian care, starting in 2017. It also included travel to a wildlife - human conflict mitigation conference in cape town with the us army research office, and then to namibia to support the aims of this group and view potential sites for the fieldwork in 2017. Part of this project is the investigation of a new non-invasive monitoring technology within this framework; the potential use of uavs to detect cryptic ground evidence for monitoring endangered species. We purchased one dji phantom 3 uav, and are testing this unit alongside two different drones loaned by a local corporate partner to identify which would prove the most reliable for the purpose of collecting cryptic ground evidence in conservation. In 2017 we will test the use of technology in conservaton as a result of this work.”

“Cheetah conservation using fit. Providing academic, logistical and technical support for the n/a 'an ku se wildlife sanctuary in namibia to guide the collection and analysis of cheetah footprint data to publish the footprint identification technique algorithm for cheetah. Also the continuation of the development of the multidisciplinary platform to help mitigate conflict between local landowners and cheetah on farmland in namibia.”

“Educational initiatives to transfer fit technology for species conservation. Organising and running an educational workshop in the use and application of footprint identification for the uk suffolk otter group. A workshop was held in august 2016 over three days for a group of 12 ecologists and managers. This educational outreach is part of our ongoing project to develop, apply and validate non-invasive monitoring approaches for endangered species including giant panda and amur tiger in china, mountain lion in texas, leopard in mexico, lowland tapir in brazil and african elephant in botswana. New projects include snow leopard in central asia, bongo in kenya, and carpathian lynx in slovenia.”