A Stellenbosch University student has built a wireless camera system to watch black-backed jackals that kill livestock on South African farms.
Megan le Roux designed the system for her master’s degree in electronic engineering at the university. She is now a doctoral student in its Digital Signal Processing Laboratory.
“Predation by black-backed jackals is a difficult problem for farmers, with few clear solutions,” Le Roux said, according to Getaway Magazine.
The system uses a network of small wireless sensor units, called nodes. Each node has a camera and sensors that record conditions in the area around it.
The nodes were placed on two farms during testing. One was a rural farm and the other was an equestrian farm, where horses are kept.
The test ran for five days, from 5 to 10 November 2025. In that time the system sent 709 video clips to an online platform.
The clips added up to more than 1.3 gigabytes of data. No person had to step in to collect the footage.
“Each node is equipped with cameras capable of functioning in low-light conditions, essential since jackals are predominantly nocturnal. This allows for comprehensive recording when movement is detected,” Le Roux said.
A passive infrared sensor picks up movement. When it is triggered, the node records a video clip of 30 seconds, processes it and sends it online, Le Roux explained.
Each node also has solar equipment to collect its own power. This means the system does not rely on the power grid and needs less upkeep from people.
According to the report, the aim is to give farmers, ecologists and wildlife scientists a way to study jackal behaviour from a distance.
Large amounts of video on how jackals hunt and breed could help farmers find ways to protect their animals that also suit wildlife, the report said.
Jackal attacks cost livestock farmers money. The report said the losses also bring emotional and mental stress for families who depend on their animals.
Older ways of dealing with the problem have not worked well. One common method is to play recorded jackal and prey distress sounds at night to lure the animals and then shoot them.
Ecologists have warned that killing jackals may break up their social groups. They said this could lead to even more attacks on livestock.
Black-backed jackal numbers have grown in areas with a lot of livestock farming. The report linked this to the loss of natural habitat and fewer natural enemies.
Source: this article is based on reporting by Getaway Magazine. Image: Getaway Magazine. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Technology desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Werner Jacobs covers technology for Tzaneen Voice. Werner reports on mobile networks, data prices, internet access, smartphones, apps, AI, cybersecurity and South African tech companies. Each story explains what a new product, price change or policy means for ordinary users in South Africa.