Whether you’re looking for a new wildlife destination, wanting to spot the Big Five or identify a creature you’ve never seen before, you’ll find what you’re looking for with the right app. Make sure you download these on your phone before you head into the bush.
To find wildlife:
Africa: Live
Recent winner of the Best Travel App in Africa, Africa: Live allows users to share real-time animal sightings and see what animals are nearby while they’re on a game drive. The live game sightings maps feature the sightings reported in the last 24 hours to increase your chances of finding the animals you’d most like to see. Within the app, you can also purchase offline maps of SA’s major parks as well as a Phone Ranger Safari Field Guide, which is audio commentary from an expert ranger.
Download Africa Live for free on iOS and Android.
Latest Sightings
This app has won numerous international awards and caught the eye of the people over at Facebook for its innovative approach. It allows safari-goers to report the animals and events they’re witnessing and gives wildlife lovers the chance to be part of the viewing from the comfort of their homes/offices/lodges. The app also contributes to research projects and wildlife conservation. Click here to find out more about the Latest Sightings app from its creator, Nadav Ossendryver, whose journey started when he was only 15 years old.
Download Latest Sightings for free on iOS and Android.
To identify and learn about wildlife:
African Safari Tracker
Featuring information about more than 200 animals with more than 500 photographs, the sounds of the Big Five, and a shareable checklist map, the African Safari Tracker app is like a game ranger in your pocket. The best part? Once you’ve downloaded the app you don’t need to be connected to the internet to look up the animal you’ve just spotted – handy in reserves where signal and wifi can be limited.
Download African Safari Tracker for US$9.99 on iOS.
Sasol eBirds of Southern Africa
This is a must for birders! The top-rated app has just added a photo pack with more than 2,800 images, available as an in-app purchase. The original app features more than 950 species, audible calls for 630+ species, how to identify birds, side-by-side comparisons, and a personal bird list, to name a few of the features.
Download Sasol eBirds of Southern Africa for R379.99 on iOS and Android.
To photograph wildlife:
Wildlife Photographic Magazine
This bimonthly magazine provides tips, tricks and inspiration for wildlife lovers who want to improve their photography skills. There are articles and videos as well as interactive content to help you take the perfect shot.
Download the Wildlife Photographic Magazine for free on iOS and Android. A single issue of the magazine costs R59.99.
To save wildlife:
WWF Together
This fun app not only gives you various ways to get involved and help protect endangered animals, but it also features interactive stories, playful elements, conservation and wildlife news, origami, high-definition videos and images, and unusual animal facts.
Download WWF Together for free on iOS and Android.
WWF SASSI
Before you tuck into a delicious seafood dish, in fact before you even order it, check whether the fish you want to consume is on the Green list, using this nifty app.
Download WWF SASSI for free on iOS and Android.
How Vodacom is making use of technology to save rhinos
Last year 508 rhinos were poached in South Africa. This is why Vodacom provided mobile devices that have been programmed with a Command and Control Collaborator (Cmore) application software to help protect the Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape from poachers. The application was developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and is an innovative technology tool that is based on modern web and mobile technology.
This software allows real-time tracking of rangers out in the veld, which is crucial in protecting their safety and security. Rangers can also enter information such as poaching incidents, poacher sightings, carcass locations or logging a patrol.
This technology not only reduces risk to the rangers, but it also ensures more proactive engagement and the use of resources in a cost-effective manner.
