In Search of New Ideas

by Graeme Addison
Reader's Digest
January 2002

Electronic Tracker

On track - The hand-held computer devised by Louis Liebenberg (right) makes conservation easy.

Cape Town born anthropologist Louis Liebenberg was always fascinated by the origins of science. As the modern brain developed while man was a hunter-gatherer, he questioned how the same brain could do physics and mathematics. To find out, Liebenberg taught himself the basics of animal tracking. Then, from 1985, he spent 11 years learning from the San masters, hunting with them for lengthy periods. His research resulted in a book, The Art of Tracking: The Origins of Science, a masterly review of the knowledge systems and principles applied by the San in their interpretation of animal spoor.
Then Liebenberg started experimenting with technology to devise a user-friendly tracking instrument and the CyberTracker, a unique hand-held computer, was born. By touching icons on the screen, even trackers who cannot read or write are able to store data in minute detail, including records of sightings, species, the number of males, females and juveniles in a herd, feeding behaviour and territorial markings. The result can be downloaded to a PC via infrared beaming simply by placing the hand-held computer next to the PC. Data may be gathered with or without a Global Positioning System to fix the location of each observation. The lists of species and icons are customised for each nature reserve to cater for the game management priorities of each client.
In 1998 Liebenberg received international recognition for his invention by winning the prestigious Rolex Award for Enterprise. Today, the CyberTracker is finding its way into conservation programmes worldwide, from deserts to the Arctic.