Rhino Antipoaching Interdiction Patrol Planning via a Stackelberg Game Informed by a Stochastic Animal Movement Simulator

Timothy Haas
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Lubar School of Business
Associate Professor

“A statistically validated model of animal spatial behavior allows ecologists to test hypotheses about how animals use a landscape, find and defend territory, and respond to predation. This talk will present new, computer-intensive approaches to modeling animal movement and how they can be integrated with general wildlife population dynamics models. One use of such an integrated model is to the identification of more effective antipoaching interdiction patrol routes. In addition, some experiences with attempting to incorporate quantitative models into antipoaching activities within a state-run wildlife reserve will be made. These include the challenges of using software in the field; slow and expensive data acquisition; managerial resistance; law enforcement personnel resistance; lack of technically trained support staff; difficulty in accepting help from the United States; and competition from local universities and local government agencies wanting to corner grants to provide technical services”.

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