{"id":126216,"date":"2026-03-17T15:57:53","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T18:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tech.einnews.com\/article\/900051592"},"modified":"2026-03-17T15:57:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T18:57:53","slug":"flagship-conservation-platforms-smart-and-earthranger-join-forces-in-new-tech-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/03\/17\/flagship-conservation-platforms-smart-and-earthranger-join-forces-in-new-tech-partnership\/","title":{"rendered":"Flagship conservation platforms SMART and EarthRanger join forces in new tech partnership"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"bulletpoints-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"bulletpoints\">\n<ul>\n<li><em>The two largest conservation technology platforms, SMART and EarthRanger, are merging into a single product known as SERCA.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>SMART and EarthRanger have overlapping functions yet are different enough that many organizations need to adopt both. Managing data across two platforms has created logistical challenges that ultimately led to the idea of merging the software.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>SERCA will combine EarthRanger\u2019s user-friendly interface and real-time visualization with SMART\u2019s data collection and analysis capabilities.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>The project is a collaboration between WCS, WWF, Re:wild, Panthera, North Carolina Zoo, Wildlife Protection Solutions, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Zoological Society of London and EarthRanger, developed by the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"content-expander\"><span>See All Key Ideas<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>For years, conservation groups have relied on two leading technologies to help manage protected areas: EarthRanger, a platform for wildlife monitoring and real-time field reporting, and SMART, a conservation management software useful for logging patrol data and ranger activity. But some organizations have struggled to decide between them and even end up using both, forcing them to juggle data between two separate dashboards.<\/p>\n<p>Now the two platforms are merging into a single product, known as SERCA, with the goal of simplifying wildlife monitoring, patrol management and conservation data analysis.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an enormous opportunity to deliver incredible tools across the entire world for conservationists,\u201d EarthRanger director Jes Lefcourt told Mongabay.<\/p>\n<p>SMART was created in 2011 through a <a href=\"https:\/\/smartconservationtools.org\/en-us\/SMART-Approach\/Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">partnership<\/a> between nine conservation groups looking for a more efficient way of collecting and analyzing field data in protected areas. Since its creation, the software has expanded into mobile, desktop and cloud-based components that allow organizations to record field data such as wildlife encounters, illegal activity and ranger responses during patrols.<\/p>\n<p>Today, the platform is used across 1,200 sites in more than 100 countries.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_315887\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-opt-id=758893364  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" class=\"wp-image-315887 size-full\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17174619\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.38.21-PM-1.jpeg?ssl=1\" alt width=\"1024\" height=\"577\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A SMART training session in Spain. Imagine courtesy of the SMART Partnership.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In Zambia, the nonprofit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zambiacarnivores.org\/about-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Zambian Carnivore Programme<\/a> uses SMART to collect carnivore and herbivore data in protected areas such as South Luangwa National Park and Liuwa Plain National Park, where large carnivores face threats from habitat loss and snaring. Ecologists record group composition, hunting behavior, reproduction and interspecies dynamics of hyenas, African wild dogs, lions, leopards and cheetahs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can actually see your database and manage your data, and we need to edit a lot of the data before we can use it for analysis,\u201d Zambian Carnivore Programme data manager Elke van Gils said of why the program uses SMART.<\/p>\n<p>But the platform also has limitations. It isn\u2019t designed for real-time monitoring and has limited mapping and visualization tools, making it difficult to track threats or species sightings as they occur. It also requires significant training to use effectively. Many organizations rely on a dedicated data analyst to manage the platform and process the information collected in the field.<\/p>\n<p>Even then, the large data sets generated by the platform can be difficult to digest, and some conservation groups lack the capacity to translate the information into on-the-ground decisions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone collected a lot of data \u2014 <em>a lot<\/em> of data,\u201d said Rony Garc\u00eda, biological research department director at the Guatemala office of the Wildlife Conservation Society, which uses SMART to organize ranger patrols in the Maya Forest. \u201cBut very few people are really analyzing what is happening there. So the intelligence is being lost.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Conservation groups that need real-time monitoring and mapping often prefer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.earthranger.com\/about-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">EarthRanger<\/a>, a system created in 2015 and currently managed by the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, a nonprofit research institute established by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Today, the software is used at more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.earthranger.com\/about-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">900 sites<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2023\/08\/wildlife-management-platform-earthranger-goes-mobile-with-new-app\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">more than 80 countries<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_315882\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-opt-id=758893364  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" class=\"wp-image-315882 size-medium\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173212\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-2.30.59-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1\" alt width=\"768\" height=\"512\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A member of Conservacion Amazonica uses the EarthRanger mobile app to track their location in the Peruvian Amazon. Image courtesy of Conservacion Amazonica.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In Chile, it helps monitor puma dens in real time, with a map showing where individuals move around their habitat throughout the day. In Thailand, it\u2019s used to monitor elephant movement and protect against human-wildlife conflict. Other groups use it to track ranger patrols in real time rather than logging data after the fact, as is typically done with SMART.<\/p>\n<p>In Guatemala, Garc\u00eda said EarthRanger is useful for collecting data about the nesting sites of the scarlet macaw, including when individuals are present in their nests and how many eggs they\u2019re laying.<\/p>\n<p>Garc\u00eda said the mobile platform is user-friendly and, like SMART, removes the need to take handwritten notes out in the field, which can become messy, illegible or damaged by weather.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s really easy to use and easy to understand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>In many cases, SMART and EarthRanger have overlapping functions, yet are different enough that organizations need to adopt both. Managing data across two platforms has created logistical challenges, several conservation groups told Mongabay. Even after the creation of Gundi in 2023 \u2014 a bridge that allows data to move between SMART and EarthRanger \u2014 many organizations said they still wanted a single integrated system.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed solution, SERCA, combines EarthRanger\u2019s user-friendly interface and real-time visualization with SMART\u2019s data collection and analysis capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>The project is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.serca.org\/introducing-serca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">collaboration<\/a> between WCS, WWF, Re:wild, Panthera, North Carolina Zoo, Wildlife Protection Solutions, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Zoological Society of London and EarthRanger.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_315884\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img data-opt-id=758893364  decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" class=\"wp-image-315884 size-medium\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/mlmjbqro95r8.i.optimole.com\/cb:bOxR.6a5\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/17173917\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-06-at-1.56.24-PM-768x512.jpeg?ssl=1\" alt width=\"768\" height=\"512\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rangers set up EarthRanger in Panama\u2019s Dari\u00e9n National Park. Image courtesy Global Conservation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The idea of combining the platforms has been discussed since the early iterations of EarthRanger, but an agreement wasn\u2019t reached until 2025, with development beginning this year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe two largest conservation technology initiatives were spending money on two parallel efforts that were headed more or less towards the same north star,\u201d Lefcourt told Mongabay. \u201cWe came together to establish SERCA to alleviate that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A specific release date hasn\u2019t yet been announced, but the rollout is expected to begin before the end of the year, according to Lefcourt. The platform will include web, mobile and desktop versions, as well as <a href=\"http:\/\/earthranger.com\/ecoscope\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">other<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/projectakili.ai\/The-Akili-Platform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">technologies<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Lefcourt said users should view the new product less as a hard \u201claunch\u201d and more as a gradual rollout, with software updates released every two weeks after the first version is introduced. SMART will eventually be phased out as its capabilities are added to EarthRanger, which will be rebranded as SERCA.<\/p>\n<p>In the meantime, most organizations are expected to continue using SMART or EarthRanger in their current forms.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s something we\u2019ve needed for a long time,\u201d Garc\u00eda said. \u201cIt took a long time for people to accept SMART, and getting people to switch to EarthRanger wouldn\u2019t have been easy. But now, if they can combine them into a new product, it will make adoption much easier, and SMART users will be able to take advantage of things from EarthRanger that they didn\u2019t have before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Banner image: <\/strong>Ranger John Tanui, who recently passed away, uses EarthRanger in the operations room at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. Image courtesy of Connected Conservation Foundation.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>See related from this reporter:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ijk4AJmmbp\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2025\/12\/mexico-is-inflating-its-climate-spending-by-billions-of-dollars-heres-how\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">Mexico is inflating its climate spending by billions of dollars. Here\u2019s how.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><b>FEEDBACK:&nbsp;<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLScLVd2lerqVykubD_tdMl1wHIS8FWRHKIrnmDFI6-M1TacgIQ\/viewform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">Use this form<\/a>&nbsp;to send a message to the author of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page.<\/p>\n<div id=\"single-article-footer\">\n<div class=\"container in-column about-editor-translator gap--40 pv--80\">\n<div class=\"container grid--3 repeat gap--40\">\n<div class=\"in-row gap--16\">\n<div class=\"author-avatar\"> <img data-opt-id=758893364  decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" alt fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6ddc11ab3173ab5e21a8b9ce7c4f11c7fc908bb2b47d47eaf0789863708a3588?s=32&d=identicon&r=g&ssl=1\" class=\"avatar avatar-32 photo\" height=\"32\" width=\"32\" loading=\"lazy\"> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"single-article-tags\">\n<p><button class=\"content-expander\"><span>See Topics<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <span class=\"article-comments\"><\/span> <\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\"> <\/a><\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\/acceptable.html\"> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The two largest conservation <span class=\"match\">technology<\/span> platforms, SMART and EarthRanger, are &#8230; this year. \u00e2\u0080\u009cThe two largest conservation <span class=\"match\">technology<\/span> initiatives were spending money on &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-126216","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126216"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/126216\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=126216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=126216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}