When Kimani the elephant goes walkabout, he alerts wildlife
rangers with a text message. This pachyderm isn't texting "BB4N"
or "BRB" with his agile trunk, instead he is part of an
innovative program organized by Save the Elephants. The program
uses Google Earth software combined with GPS collars. Mobile
phone SIM cards in the collars send text messages to rangers
whenever an elephant approaches a "geo-fence" along the
boundaries of the 90,000 acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.
When rangers receive an alert that an elephant has passed
through the geo-fence, they use spotlights to herd the animal
back to the protected area. In the past, Kimani and his friends
had the unfortunate habit of raiding villagers' farms,
destroying valuable crops. Five of Kimani's fellow elephants
were shot and killed during those raids. Conservationists hope
that Kimani's texting collar will help him avoid future
skirmishes.