For thousands of years, animal tracking was an essential skill for survival, allowing early humans to navigate their environment, hunt for food, and understand the movements of wildlife. Today, this ancient art remains just as relevant, not for hunting, but for conservation. Tracker Academy, a pioneering training initiative in Southern Africa, is leading the charge in reviving and professionalizing the skill of wildlife tracking, transforming lives, and protecting endangered species.
Preserving the Past, Protecting the Future
Tracker Academy was established in 2010 by Gaynor Rupert, Alex van den Heever, and Renias Mhlongo as South Africa’s first fully accredited institution for the training of professional wildlife trackers. It is a division of the South African College for Tourism and as such, the academy aims to qualify people from rural areas with skills in tracking, which helps in providing employment and assists in the conservation and anti-poaching work that is needed in those areas.
The academy has training campuses at Sandringham and Londolozi Game Reserves. Students develop tracking skills in a rigorous year-long program that teaches traditional tracking in the context of modern conservation. The program includes tracking, animal monitoring, ecology, zoology, law enforcement, and hands-on fieldwork so that students qualify as “trackers for conservation” and not just as trackers.
A Lifeline for Rural Communities
Tracker Academy contributes to conservation, but perhaps more importantly, the academy provides opportunities that change the lives of students who come from underprivileged areas of the country. Most students come from rural, remote communities which have little to offer in terms of employment. Attending the academy gives them the chance to obtain skills that make it possible for them to work while deeply rooted in their cultural history.
Graduates have an impressive 95.1% employment rate with leading conservation organizations throughout Africa. Their work as anti-poaching rangers, research assistants, and wildlife monitors is critical for the preservation of biodiversity in Africa.
A Proven Impact on Conservation
Tracker Academy affects more than just students; it has developed entire programs to assist in the preservation of wildlife and ecological education. The most well-known is the Rhino Guardians program,which trains evidence-based trackers to mitigate rhino poaching. This program has decreased poaching by 40% in several reserves through the deployment of graduates into great-need areas.
The academy also contributed to international programs like jaguar habituation in Brazil and leopard conservation in Rwanda, demonstrating the value of tracking conservation worldwide.
Merging Ancient Wisdom with Technology
While rooted in ancient knowledge, Tracker Academy also embraces technology. In partnership with Hewlett-Packard, the academy has developed a web-based AI application that identifies animal tracks and signs. This tool, still in its beta phase, has the potential to revolutionize wildlife monitoring, providing real-time data for conservationists worldwide.
Looking to the Future
Tracker Academy is more than a training school—it is a movement. By preserving the ancient art of tracking and applying it to modern conservation challenges, the academy ensures that both wildlife and traditional knowledge thrive. As it expands its influence globally, with prospective initiatives in Chile and Australia, Tracker Academy continues to prove that sometimes, the oldest skills are the most valuable.