NightRide Thermal is Honored to Partner with World-Renowned Eco Defense Group in Support of its Vital Mission to Protect Endangered African Wildlife

NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eco Defense Group (Park City, UT) has added three NightRide Thermal (Brooklyn, NY) cameras to its arsenal of cutting-edge technology designed to protect African wildlife from the escalating poaching of rhinos, lions, elephants, pangolins and other endangered species that are targeted by an illicit multi-billion-dollar trafficking enterprise.

NightRide donated one each of their Scout and Ranger infrared thermal cameras with true heads-up display to Eco Defense Group, while a separate benefactor, Night Vision Rentals, donated another NightRide Scout camera to Eco Defense Group's tireless efforts to support African rangers and conservationists in protecting these vulnerable animals.

"Rangers deploy in total darkness to stop the poaching threat that comes primarily at night," said Eco Defense Group president Nathan Edmondson. "NightRide joins our group of key partners to provide asymmetric capabilities—in this case, vision in the darkest of African nights—to the rangers we train and support." 

Eco Defense Group consults with first-line animal protection rangers throughout Africa and develops frontline solutions to make wildlife protection units more capable and effective, while simultaneously increasing the safety of the officers and rangers who risk life and limb to protect Africa's indigenous wildlife.

The stakes in this battle are high, of course, for Africa's endangered species, but also for the humans trying to protect them. According to the International Ranger Federation, 269 African rangers were killed throughout the continent between 2012 and 2018—almost all killed by poachers.

"NightRide's unique application of thermal technology could be a game changer in this unconventional battlefield," Edmondson said. "These capabilities will not only help rangers, they will allow the frontline protectors of wildlife to spot, track and observe wildlife without interfering with that wildlife or its habitat. We feel that NightRide's unique spirit of innovation and cutting-edge technology will act as a force multiplier in Eco Defense Group's areas of operation," Edmondson concluded.

"We developed NightRide cameras to prevent some of the common hazards associated with night driving, like pedestrian and bicyclist accidents, missed turns, glare from oncoming traffic and collisions with wildlife, but I never imagined our products would be used in the jungles and savannas of Africa to protect these majestic animals," said NightRide Thermal Founder and CEO Mary Ellen Kramer.

NightRide is an infrared-based camera system that empowers drivers to see beyond the range of regular headlights—seeing 1,800 feet and beyond, even on the darkest of nights. The cameras offer high-resolution thermal imaging and are purpose-built for mounting on standard cars, vans and trucks, as well as first responder vehicles for the public safety industry.

The Utah-based non-profit Eco Defense Group brings US Special Missions Unit veterans to train African rangers in safe and effective movement against armed poachers. Eco Defense Group never engages poachers directly. For reasons of operational security, ongoing project details and locations are not revealed because this information could jeopardize the safety of the extraordinarily brave men and women Eco Defense Group is privileged to support. To learn more or to donate, visit www.ecodefensegroup.org.

NightRide^™ is the leading brand in vehicle-mounted thermal cameras, manufactured by NightRide Thermal LLC, a woman-owned small business located in New York. NightRide cameras offer high-resolution thermal imaging purpose-built for mounting on standard cars and first responder vehicles. To learn more, visit www.getnightride.com.

NightRide Thermal
Tim Baker
[email protected]
Ph: 919-969-3492

Eco Defense Group
Lydia Carlson
[email protected]
Ph: 818-850-3343

SOURCE NightRide Thermal LLC