fotoLibra Obstructs Poachers
June 10th, 2014
by Gwyn Headley
Managing Director
Amur Leopard by Linda Wright
Many cameras and smartphones now come equipped with a GPS sensor which broadcasts the precise location of the device. A brilliantly conceived piece of work, and useful in all sorts of ways.
Except one.
If you use your GPS-enabled camera to shoot wildlife — you could be helping poachers to shoot wildlife.
All they have to do is check the EXIF data in your image and they’ll see the precise coördinates of the camera when the photograph was taken. Then they pitch up at the site, and shortly afterwards the last remaining black rhino will wander past. Bang.
At fotoLibra we don’t like this. So we’ve made the decision to strip the GPS data from every wildlife photograph in our library.
That’s 13,878 images which poachers won’t be able to use to track down and slaughter animals.
It’s a small step. But we hope other image collections will follow.
Well done, thank you
Bravo! What clever folks you are! And I hope to hear soon that fotoLibra is a trendsetter in this regard.
Excellent initiative – well done !
And as Brenda mentions, I hope this is something you can recruit other photo-hosting sites to.
Google would be a good place to start seeing as they’re probably the starting point for many many image searches.
Good luck!
Well done, a perfect solution to the auto-everything and data gathering without any engagement of brains!
Excellent! a very good move!
What a heartening message!! So often we hear of the terrible exploitation of rare, exotic and fabulous creatures, and feel helpless. This is something that effectively deprives criminals of the wherewithal to wreak havoc. Bravo!!! I hope all picture agencies will hear of this and follow suit… This has made my day!!!
I’m glad you’ve done this!
Conscience before cost, well done Fotolibra
Great shoot!
I am amazed that poachers would sniff out EXIF data. How horrible. And well done you for denying it to them.
Bravo.
Well done at Fotolibra! Leading the way.
Well done, Gwyn.
Messing about with EXIF/IPTC data is usually done for very selfish purposes. Pleased to see this very positive move.
very well done!! Should not all agencies do the same?
Great stuff. Whole hearted support.
That´s the idea….excellent,congratulations.
Who knew? Well done Fotolibra.
Very good idea. I hope all the agencies but also everybody else ail do the same.
GR8
Brilliant move.
Condragulations….A step ahead is always guide to take long way to go and its become a great …..
Congratulations for such initiave. More tan this should come, thanks for the inspiring idea
I read about this issue recently. It seems that so much of this amazing tech also comes with a downside. well done for setting this example. Let’s hope other agencies follow suit.
Excellent work Gwyn, its not just about big game either, rare wild UK plants like Orchids can be targeted by using the same data and they can’t even run away!
Fantastic and very swift response.
Perhaps this could be a useful tool to catch the bastards!
Great policy Gwyn.
A good and positive step in protecting the wild life.
Great move, I hope others will do the same
Great work -we need to spread the word to other agencies.
Impressive stuff! Thanks.
Fortunately wild animals are constantly on the move so having their location an hour after the image is taken is useless to poachers. It is far simpler for an insider working for the reserve to just contact the poachers on his mobile phone and give them the species, direction of travel and an up to date sighting. In Kruger National Park there are constant updates by visitors to the park on their latest sightings. These appear on various websites and Facebook pages.
Whilst stripping the info is a noble thought, it is a waste of your time and resources and will not hamper the poachers who are highly sophisticated and well connected with the locals to get up to the minute info.
As well as being a picture researcher I am also involved with a charity ‘Africality’ which is primarily an anti poaching organisation. I am grateful for you highlighting this message to all, and have reported this post to the Born Free Foundation in order for them to spread the word. Anything that can help stop animals being slaughtered for their tusks is vital right now as soon pictures will be the only thing we have left of these amazing creatures. Thank you Gwyn for highlighting this.
Good work fotoLibra Well done!
well done
Brilliant!
Small steps can help a big deal – when they make people change their perspective – also in a moral sense…I hope for a huge echo of this initiative of yours!
And as Brenda mentions, I hope this is something you can recruit other photo-hosting sites to.
Google would be a good place to start seeing as they’re probably the starting point for many many image searches.
Good luck!
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This is brilliant – hopefully others will follow your example! Thanks for making a difference.
Well done Fotolibra, thank you for taking this initiative.
Hi there Gwyn:
Excellent post! Excellent idea. Found you from LinkedIn
Have a happy day,
Barry
I’ve heard of this gps tracking being used by poachers, Gwyn … and you put the warning as succinctly as I’ve seen. Have tweeted. Getting the word out is vital. And thanks on behalf of our beautiful blue ball’s wildlife for your actions.