CAKE, Goal Zero Develop Stealth ‘Bush Bikes’ to Combat Poaching
What’s cooler than protecting endangered wildlife from illegal poachers? Doing so on a stealthy electric ‘bush bike.’
The Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC), CAKE Electric Motorcycles, and Goal Zero have teamed up to find a pretty cool solution to rhino poaching. The team hopes to use “silent” solar-charged electric motorbikes (courtesy of CAKE) to catch rhino poachers in Africa.
In December, CAKE announced that its partnership with the wildlife group would “form the Electric Bush Bike Anti-Poaching Act.” According to the brand, the collaboration “lays the groundwork for utilizing specially-developed CAKE motorcycles to protect endangered species from poaching.”
Goal Zero joined the effort by providing a solar-powered charging solution for the bikes, which will need to be self-sufficient in a remote bush area.
“It is somewhat unreal how the sun and solar power, together with the technology of these silent off-road motorbikes, can serve the purpose of saving species from extinction,” CAKE CEO Stefan Ytterborn said.
More About the ‘Bush Bike’ Mission
So how exactly will the CAKE bush bikes help? Several anti-poaching teams in Africa have tried using dirt bikes for patrolling. However, those bikes run on gasoline or diesel.
“The roaring combustion engines unfortunately alert poachers miles away,” the SAWC explained. “By utilizing CAKE’s electric off-road motorcycles, the goal is to increase efficiency in catching poachers by quietly sneaking up on them.”
With a quieter electric engine and solar-charging capabilities, anti-poachers will be able to fully operate the bikes off grid and travel more efficiently across terrain on a sustainable source of power.
The SAWC is a multipurpose campus located near Kruger National Park in South Africa. The college runs various conservation training programs, works on natural resource management, and teaches students conservation theory.
“This partnership to test new technologies for innovative conservation solutions is extremely exciting,” said Theresa Sowry from the SAWC. “We are very proud to be partnering with CAKE and Goal Zero.”
CAKE will present the complete African Bush Bikes by the end of this month.
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