Dr. George Lohay Head Scientist at the Grumeti Fund (https://grumetifund.org)  Abstract Wildlife conservation in Tanzania continues to face major challenges, particularly from poaching and habitat loss. To strengthen protection and management efforts, the Grumeti Fund, in Serengeti Tanzania, has utilized the EarthRanger (ER) system since 2017, integrating it with wildlife tracking technologies such as GPS collars and AI-powered cameras from Wildlife Protection Solutions. This integration enables real-time tracking of patrols, incident reporting, and wildlife monitoring, significantly improving rapid response capabilities and ranger safety. The use of ER in conjunction with elephant collaring and geo-fencing has also enhanced human–elephant conflict mitigation by providing instant alerts and enabling coordinated field responses. Overall, ER offers a centralized, data-driven platform that enhances situational awareness, decision-making, and operational efficiency across teams. This talk will also highlight how advances in genomic technologies can complement these tools by addressing landscape-level species connectivity using non-invasive methods, linking technology-driven monitoring with modern conservation genetics applications.   Biography: Dr. George Lohay is a Tanzanian biologist and conservation geneticist with over 15 years of experience in wildlife research and management. He currently serves as Head Scientist at the Grumeti Fund, leading applied conservation research and capacity-building initiatives through the RISE (Research and Innovation for the Serengeti Ecosystem) program. His work integrates science, technology, and mentorship to support Tanzanian graduate students and early-career conservationists. Dr. Lohay earned his Ph.D. in Biology from Penn State University in 2019, where he investigated the genetic connectivity of African savanna elephants, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship focused on the giraffe genome project. His current research emphasizes conservation genetics, landscape connectivity, and human dimensions of wildlife conservation, including socioeconomics of bushmeat hunting, and vulture ecology. He is deeply committed to restoring Tanzania's wildlife corridors and fostering the next generation of conservation leaders.

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