Having now returned to Scotland from my trip to Gabon, I would like to share some key moments and an insider’s view of what our field team does on the ground. I spent some time in both Libreville and the field, where I joined two field missions in the forest.

In Libreville, I was in our office with my Gabonese colleagues — a special thank you to them for their patience and helping me with my broken French! Despite the language barrier, they were incredibly accommodating throughout my trip. The welcoming nature of the team echoes throughout Gabon, and I was struck by the people’s deep love of nature and the environment. Their dedication to protecting the forest is truly inspiring. It was an honour to work alongside such knowledgeable and hardworking individuals. The trip helped me better grasp the entire process of our work on the ground, from camera deployment to generating reports from the analysed data, and the trip showed me firsthand the positive impact we’re having on the environment. Some of our colleagues hope to enroll as doctoral candidates working in partnership with us, utilising our data and models. This will enhance okala’s long-term impact on conservation of Gabon’s forests by building local expertise.

As a part of our field missions, I had the opportunity to see the diverse wildlife that calls Gabon home. I was named the ‘Scottish lucky charm’ as we encountered so many animals. I was particularly struck by the beauty and importance of the African forest elephants and the vital role they play in the ecosystem. Our team’s efforts to protect them and their habitat are crucial for their survival and the health of Gabon’s forests as a whole.

In the field, I was assisting Alexandre with capturing visual content for upcoming projects and social media. On our first mission, we were part of a small team that was deploying modified wildlife cameras to capture NeRFs for some of Alex’s metaverse projects (all will be revealed). We were guided through the forest by Landry, Patrice and Yannick. Before entering the forest, we were given safety instructions and a brief on where and when we would be able to capture images. As instructed, we walked in a single file line with one to two metre spacing, the reason for this is if we encountered any danger we would be able to turn around quickly without falling over one another. At the front of the group, we had Landry navigating us safely through the forest with a machete in hand to cut broken tree branches blocking our path. I was towards the back of the group observing Patrice and Yannick, both were very cautious and ensured they had a full angle view for potential dangers and paid particular attention to the forest floor for any indication of animal presence.

After successfully deploying the cameras and capturing relevant content, we began our ascent to the forest edge to return to our vehicle. I noticed as we were ascending that we were pausing from time-to-time — this was to allow Landry to listen for any noises — and the team were whistling and making hand gestures to one another more frequently than before. We then slowed to a snail’s pace as we reached about one hundred metres from the forest edge. Landry went ahead and noticed a herd of five elephants in the savannah ahead. He then ushered us forward to join him to capture the majestic animals while remaining undetected. I reached Landry, there was one male elephant stood in the savannah, so I began taking some photos. The elephant was closer than expected and seemed to be in distress, so we moved to another location at a safer distance to capture more images. The elephant then let out a loud foghorn blast, which terrified us; we did NOT run, as instructed, but rather swiftly walked around and away to safety. Once we were at a safe distance and Landry had confirmed they had left, we inched our way out into the open of the savannah. I remember my heart pounding. I felt a wave of relief mixed with disbelief and astonishment. Keep in mind that the majority of us were carrying heavy equipment in our backpacks in the humid 32-degree C heat, so we did the odd switch to share the load. We were drenched with sweat; I can confirm I’ve looked better! Later that evening, we were discussing the success of the day and, of course, the elephant encounter. I learned that elephants have three warning signs for humans: a loud shriek, another louder shriek where they proceed to charge at you but stop, and finally they let out a noise similar to a dog bark and charge at you with intent to kill or maim. Thank goodness we only received the first warning which is meant to say “back off whoever and wherever you are”! I also learned that while tracking animal signs on the forest floor, the team noticed fresh cat droppings from a leopard. So not only did we witness elephants in the wild, but we also had a leopard watching us from approximately twenty metres away. How? What? Why? I had so many questions running through my head, but I simply sat there in awe and was thankful I hadn’t known at the time. The forest is a very dangerous place.

On our second mission, we joined the gorilla habituation team. Sadly, western gorillas are listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ (IUCN, 2018), which is why okala is working tirelessly to make this a success. In collaboration with CENAREST, the aim of this particular mission is to track a specific troop of gorillas and slowly introduce the presence of humans to assist with completing research for their protection. We spent eight hours continuously walking and weaving through the forest following tracks; these particular teams can walk up to 25 kilometres (15 miles) per day. The two teams are led by Brice and partner Ghislain from CENAREST, both have deep knowledge of tracking gorillas, which made the mission relatively smooth. However, the mission as a whole can be daunting, as it may take years of tracking gorillas to complete the vital research needed for their preservation. The level of detail required to track these animals is astonishing, at one point during the mission the gorillas had left very little trace except for broken shoots, I hadn’t even noticed these. While capturing images of the shoots we heard rustling from a nearby tree and soon after two mandrills climbed down the tree and ran off. If you’d have blinked you would have missed them.

Overall, I was amazed by the incredible biodiversity of the forest and the importance of our work monitoring and protecting it. It made me appreciate the fragility of this ecosystem and the importance of taking action to preserve it for future generations. I very much look forward to returning and continuing to collaborate remotely with my Gabonese colleagues. Merci beaucoup!

At okala our field teams regularly go to the forest to place cameras and other sensors which we use to monitor wildilfe and manage the forest. Our cameras capture videos and images of passing animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas and forest elephants. The aim of our work is to build a deep understanding of the forest.

Fieldwork is logistically intensive and requires an enormous amount of planning. The biomonitoring team leaders: Yannick FOUTY, Brice NDINGA and Fabrice MEZEME are in charge of planning. The team leaders work closely with the field assistants: Hans NDINGA, Placide OBIANG, Wenceslas DOUCKAGA and Rodrigue NSI to collect the valuable data from the cameras and other sensors, before analysing and archiving it. They also take care of video or image “labelling”, which consists of identifying animals in videos using specialised software. Another key role within our teams, thanks to their experience and knowledge of the environment, is our local guides and trackers: Alassane, Yorick, Calvin, Landry and Gabin. They act as guides in the forest for our researchers and tourists.

okala is also commited to social investment, these activities are supervised by Jennifer EYEANG who manages social collaborations with local communities. She directs okala’s social projects such as beekeeping and the development of non-timber forest products. Accompanied mainly by Etienne and Landry, Jennifer is working hard to create sustainable impact in partnership with local communities.

All this cannot be possible without the intervention of the logistics department, managed by Patrice ESSONE and Yannick NTOUTOUME. Together, they plan the transport of the teams to the field by both car and boat.

As for me, I am responsible for ensuring that all budgets are allocated on time and that invoices are well justified. In collaboration with Roisin-Caitlin (Office Manager, UK), we jointly manage the company’s agenda, employee contracts and all other administrative aspects. We ensure that all business transactions run smoothly and efficiently.

Charles TROUVE (Operations Manager Gabon) leads the project in Gabon. He is hands-on and often joins the field team in the forest, and does not hesitate to put different profiles together on the same project. He always ensures he is available and does not hesitate to help the members of his team when needed.

Alexandre AVRANCHES (Head of Product & Metaverse Designer) gives his best to the teams, through his practical and strategic advice, he brings a fresh energy that he communicates to everyone, motivating the teams.

Robin WHYTOCK (Co-founder and CEO of okala) co-ordinates the project. With over twenty years of experience in conservation, he is a true mentor for the biomonitoring teams. Always listening and looking after the well-being of the team and the environment. He does not hesitate to go on the field when in Gabon.

“The stone has no hope but to only be a stone. But with collaboration, it assembles and becomes a temple.” Saint Exupéry

okala’s strength is our team. The company maximises everyone’s potential, not only to increase efficiency but to ensure everyone understands their role within the organisation and the positive impact they have on both the company and the environment.

With a background in corporate entities many have asked ‘why did you decide to join okala?’ — the simple answer is it was a risk, BUT I was presented with a vision utilising technology to preserve and protect biodiversity. This vision echoed in my head following my interview. I was excited at the opportunity to work for okala. It provided an opportunity for personal growth and to enhance my knowledge in conservation technology and the environment. The most exciting experience has turned out to be part of a start-up company and embracing all the new knowledge acquired.

During my six months employed by the company, I have learned about new computer algorithms, information and technology. Put simply, learning what you can do to generate valuable information to preserve and protect. Exposure to the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) gave me some eureka moments. I didn’t know it even existed. Who would have thought that you could use a database of videos, images and algorithms to create AI? Not me. Thanks to Alexandre Avranches, our Head of Products & Metaverse Designer, I now understand the mechanics utilised to generate and develop a data analytics platform. I am excited to assist Alex with the co-ordination of his various upcoming projects — keep your eyes open, all will be revealed!

Given the world’s current climate emergency, conservation is a hot topic (thanks Greta!), I am excited to be part of a potential solution. Our fieldwork to collect environmental data is conducted in Gabon, Central Africa which has a landcover of over 85% rainforest — WOW — this is a haven for biodiversity. Our field team, led by our Operations Manager — Charles Trouvé, install modified wildlife cameras to capture footage of animals in their home environment and take samples to identify the various species present in the forest.

The data analysis I’ve been involved in has been mind-blowing, including unique footage of illusive animals that have sadly been listed by IUCN as ‘Critically Endangered’. We plan to share some of our footage to provide education on biodiversity and to highlight what we as a company can offer as a potential solution to biodiversity declines. Our CEO & Head of Science, Dr Robin Whytock, is the driving force behind the results we plan to deliver. With a PhD in Ecology, Robin offers his extensive expertise and experience to assist Charles with planning missions and targeting specific landscapes for species identification. Our results will generate invaluable data leading to future preservation and protection of biodiversity.

During the last few months, we have collectively developed a three-layer business model: develop; invest; scale; while sustainably managing land and promoting social growth through community development. We believe in giving back to local communities and seeing them flourish. An example is our pilot project with beehives and bees, creating a cottage industry and promoting the development of skills, job creation and a local economy for self-sustainability.

Although I have only been working for this company for a short time I have developed my knowledge and skill base enormously. It has challenged my understanding of conservation and biodiversity and has excited my passion for protecting the environment. I have been quite surprised at how seamlessly I have been able to transfer business skills from one industry to another and I’m delighted that I am having a positive impact on the environment. Looking forward, I am excited to be travelling to Gabon to put theoretical knowledge into practice, meeting and working alongside the rest of our international team and of course to test my French (yet another new skill — wish me luck). I cannot wait to report again on our developments.

Written by Róisín-Caitlin Bonucchi, Office Manager (UK)

Aware of the exceptional character of this multi-faceted landscape, okala chose it as its first pilot to adopt the challenge of developing an area by not exploiting its natural resources in an industrial manner, such as logging, but by conserving them. The challenges of unlocking investment in conservation: technology development, governance, stakeholder engagement in biodiversity preservation and a new business model have created okala’s DNA.

In this short article, we will take you on a journey through this incredible landscape.

Understanding the landscape and how we aim to preserve it

To protect and manage this rainforest efficiently, it’s important to understand its unique characteristics, the species that call it home and its carbon stocks. This has been accomplished through various studies, such as field ecological surveys, carbon stock assessments, camera trapping, environmental DNA surveys and engagement with local communities. By gathering this information, conservationists and researchers can have a better understanding of the health of the ecosystem and develop strategies for protecting and preserving the area and its inhabitants for future generations.

This research has revealed the presence of almost 900 animal and 520 plant species including new ones! Indeed, nearly 17 species of animals we found, mainly killy fish and amphibians, appear to be new and DNA analysis and descriptions are underway to confirm that they are identified new species. Research also allowed us to rediscover a species of plant, Psychotria gaboonensis, which scientists thought extinct since 1861 that has in fact been thriving in the forest. The only known presence to date is in the Sud Estuaire concession.

The diversity of exceptional ecosystems: hosting rare and endemic flora species that must be preserved

80% of our landscape is Tropical Rainforest

The forests of the Sud Estuaire concession were the first forests in Gabon to be industrially exploited for their timber. The time has now come to conserve them, so that they can regenerate, playing their role as a carbon sink and a privileged habitat for fauna and flora.

10% of our landscape is Mangroves

Mangroves are sensitive habitats that are vital for the preservation of biodiversity and for providing ecosystem services such as coastal protection, carbon sequestration and supporting both fishing and tourism industries. They are also an important breeding, feeding and nursery area for many fish species and other aquatic life. Camera trapping and environmental DNA surveys reveal the presence of emblematic species such as hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) and manatees (Trichechus senegalensis).

10% of our landscape is Savannah

Savannah and forest-savannah areas are essential habitats for a diverse range of plant and animal species, as they provide unique ecological conditions and support high levels of biodiversity. These landscapes also connect different ecosystems and promote gene flow, creating opportunities for the evolution of new species. They also play important roles in maintaining the balance and richness of the ecosystem.

Savanna’s within the Sud Estuaire concession host many colonies of rare birds, such as the Rosy Bee-Eater (Merops malimbicus) and the African River Martin (Pseudochelidon eurystomina), which come to nest.

35km of Atlantic Coastline

The Atlantic coastline runs along the western side of the concession for almost 35km. This ecosystem is remarkable for the large populations of leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) that come here to spawn towards the end of the year, being one of the main nesting sites in the world.

Off the coast, is one of the best places in the world to observe humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) during their summer migration.

The diversity of ecosystems in the Sud Estuaire concession and the richness of its biodiversity make it an ideal landscape in which okala can develop its innovative approach and implement a new economic model for the conservation of natural areas. The technology and monitoring methods developed are indeed tried and tested in different conditions, on a territory where conservation should no longer be an option, but a necessity.

Written by Charles Trouvé, Gabon Operations Manager

As we near the end of the year, it’s a good time to reflect on the progress we’ve made and the challenges we still face. In the realm of biodiversity conservation, there’s much to be hopeful about, thanks in large part to the incredible advances we’re seeing in technology.

One of the key ways that technology is advancing conservation efforts is through the use of remote sensing and monitoring tools. These allow us to track the movements and behaviours of individual animals, as well as to monitor the health of ecosystems and detect changes over time. This data is incredibly valuable, as it provides crucial insights into the factors that drive species decline and extinction, and helps us to identify the most effective conservation strategies.

“Plot Twist: What you’ve just read was written by an AI algorithm! Everything that comes below, is human.”

Hi dear network! We wanted the AI from ChatGPT to help us write a small holiday message, not out of any trickery, lack of ideas or motivation, but rather out of curiosity. At okala we are extremely curious and we believe that new technologies , such as AI tools that translate prompts to text, images or 3D visualisations, will help solve the giant puzzle that is climate change. So, it’s important for us to play with these tools and understand what the proverbial box boundaries are, just so we can think outside of it!

We cut the text short as the content was too general and lacked creativity and foresight. As a matter of fact, here are the answers from the AI when we asked some questions about the future:

okala: “Can you tell us why 2023 will be a cornerstone year for biodiversity conservation?”
ChatGPT: “I’m sorry, but I am a large language model trained by OpenAI and I don’t have any information about upcoming events or developments in the world. My training only goes up until 2021, so I am unable to provide any information about the year 2023. I am only able to provide general information and answer questions based on my training data.”
okala: “So you are not able to extrapolate past data and apply it to imagine what the future can look like?”
ChatGPT: “As a large language model trained by OpenAI, I do not have the ability to extrapolate past data and apply it to imagine future scenarios. My training data only goes up until 2021… [proceeds with the same answer as before]”

The following was a bit more optimistic:

As mentioned above, we do not intend to trick our audience with using AI generated content. Quite the contrary in fact as honesty and transparency are part of our core values at okala and we strive to strengthen them in everything we do.

“Our vision of sustainably managing 10 million hectares of biodiverse land can only be realized if we are fully transparent and open about our operation.”

As head of science, our CEO Robin Whytock’s ethos is anchored in scientific rigor and we aim for our work to shine as an example in the field of bio-diversity conservation, if not straight up establishing the industry’s best practices.

That rigor is paramount to responsibly tackle innovation and experiment with you new technologies like AI, XR and Metaverses, 3D printing, Nerfs & Photogrammetry, Blockchain and Cryptography, Computer Hardware, Game dev, and of course design. While these offer incredible opportunities to help solve our dramatically declining biodiversity problem, we are extremely careful about the issues attached to them, namely:

· the Ethical questions surrounding the training and use of AIs
· the Metaverse dystopia / utopia promises
· deepfakes coming from ever more efficient reality scanning solutions
· energy waste or its potential misuse by some blockchains
· electronic waste from a world where everything is connected
· raw materials extraction and human exploitation attached to “green” products
· alternate realities blurred for children through video gaming
· rampant consumerism with the African markets still relatively untapped

These concerns are forefront on our mind, and we want to address them in the most transparent yet open minded way possible as not everything is only black or only white in this world and it would be a mistake in our opinion, to discard or avoid the problems by simply banning these innovations.

“Life and the world we live in, is like a pointillism painting”

While each dot of colour might be considered as a singular value, when placed together in a specific pattern and viewed from a distance, they come together to form an entire painting that is much more nuanced and complex. This is because each dot influences the others, creating a rich interplay of colour and light that would not be possible if the dots were considered in isolation. In a similar way, context is important in many aspects of life, as it helps us to understand the relationships between different elements and to see the bigger picture. Just as each dot in a pointillism painting contributes to the overall effect, so too do the individual pieces of information we encounter in our lives come together to create a more nuanced and complete understanding of the world around us.

(short apparté: English is not my native language and while I had this analogy in mind, I got stuck trying to put it to paper. ChatGPT helped me to formulate this idea… and it only took one try)

“Overall, the future looks bright for biodiversity conservation, and technology will play a crucial role in driving this progress.”

Our social media presence will steadily grow over the course of 2023 and we hope to surprise, educate and inspire you, by openly discussing our sustainable conservation and social investment efforts through the ethical development and use of Ai and other technologies.

On behalf of our team members in Gabon, Scotland and Germany, okala wishes you and your loved ones a happy and healthy holiday season, and a successful and rewarding year ahead full of wild wonders from our forest.

Written by Alexandre Avranches, Head of Products and Designer at okala

Who is okala and what do we do?

okala develops sustainable land-management projects built on social investment, sensor technologies and fintech solutions to unlock green investment for environmental protection and restoration — one of the most important challenges of our time.

“Currently, we sustainably manage 270,000 hectares of rainforest in Central Africa, that’s equivalent to an area 60 by 45km or 37 by 27mi”

Uniquely, we work end-to-end by:

1. negotiating land-management agreements with governments
2. building connected landscapes using our technologies
3. providing digital products for green investment
4. investing in local communities
5. scaling our operations, based on strong social and legal foundations

Formed in January 2022 with investment from the African Transformation and Industrialisation Fund, our 20-strong international team have decades of experience in tropical fieldwork, social and environmental research, land management in the tropics, digital product development and engineering. We also partner with leading scientific institutions and private companies to develop and deploy the latest tech-solutions for ecosystem monitoring.

What problems are we solving?

One of the major barriers to unlocking sustainable investment in nature, particularly from the private sector, is the ability to provide trustworthy, accurate and timely data. Remote sensing data from satellites have already revolutionised the environmental and conservation sector. However, despite significant advances, satellite imagery cannot see animals beneath a rainforest canopy, for example.

Much of the world’s most biodiverse and carbon-rich landscapes have limited connectivity and power availability, and it currently takes years to evaluate the status of wildlife and other environmental variables in these landscapes using traditional approaches. Investors are therefore expected to ‘invest in the past’, but what if a forest has since been destroyed or wildlife populations have declined?

“It is currently easier to send a high-definition photo from Mars than it is to send the same from the understory of a high-canopy rainforest.”

Monitoring wildlife and biodiversity in the tropics is therefore a serious technical challenge.

okala solves these problems by building connected, sustainable landscapes with real-time data reporting the status of wildlife populations and the condition of the environment. We use these data streams and advanced analytics to create ethical, innovative digital products that unlock investment for sustainable development and environmental protection.

Where do we work?

Our first project is in Gabon, Central Africa, where we manage a landscape of rainforest, savanna and mangroves covering almost 3000 km² (an area roughly 45 x 60 km). The forest is a significant carbon store and we protect thriving populations of forest elephants (critically endangered), western lowland gorillas (critically endangered), chimpanzee (endangered) and other diverse wildlife populations.

We’re extremely excited about unveiling our plans and upcoming partnerships for 2023. So, look out for more articles and posts that dive into different areas of our work. Please follow us on our socials @okala_io, to learn more about technology for conservation. We also have plenty of incredible wildlife footage to share!

If you are a green investor, land manager, government or otherwise passionate about how technology can be used to enable green finance and scale up social development and environmental protection please get in touch!

Written by Robin Whytock, CEO & Head of Science at okala.