Our Projects

Explore our impactful initiatives for wildlife conservation and sustainability.

At HydraNest, we are dedicated to developing and implementing innovative projects that address the pressing need for sustainable water sources for wildlife in drought-prone regions. Our projects are grounded in the principles of biomimicry, drawing inspiration from nature's time-tested designs to create practical and impactful solutions.

Key Features

Biomimetic Design: Mimicking the Strelitzia flower, the reservoir features a weight-activated mechanism that opens to release water when animals approach and closes to prevent evaporation and contamination.

Rainwater Harvesting: The reservoir will be designed to efficiently collect and store rainwater, maximizing water availability during periods of scarcity.

Localized Design: The reservoir will be designed to fit seamlessly into the natural environment, working in concert with existing technologies such as boreholes, to access groundwater.

Sustainable and Off-Grid: The system will operate without external power sources, making it suitable for remote locations and minimizing environmental impact.

Modular and Scalable: The reservoir will be designed in a modular format, allowing for easy installation, expansion, and adaptation to different environments.

Pilot Project: Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Our initial pilot project will be implemented in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, a region severely affected by drought and home to a significant elephant population.

This pilot will serve as a crucial testing ground for the HydraNest Water Reservoir, allowing us to gather valuable data on its effectiveness and refine its design based on real-world conditions. Field trips will deepen our understanding of the situation on the ground and consult with local ecologists and other experts.

Long-Term Vision:

Our long-term vision is to scale up the HydraNest Water Reservoir project across sub-Saharan Africa and other water-stressed regions globally. By providing sustainable water solutions for wildlife, we aim to contribute to a future where humans and nature can coexist in harmony.

The Biomimicry

The design of the reservoir takes inspiration from Strelitzia reginae.

Strelitzia stores its pollen in a closed environment, safe from external environmental conditions, but can open up to reveal the pollen when pollinators land on the flower (and will close when the pollinator leaves). This is possible thanks to a non-automated, externally actuated, hingeless flap mechanism that can be repeated over 3000 times without signs of wear. Similarly, the inspired design will consist of a closed structure that stores water and protects it from evaporation and keeps it clean, but can open when an animal approaches to drink water, and will close once the animal departs. This mechanism will operate via the placement of external mechanical force alone, and will not require external energy.

The design will collect water both from rainfall and from groundwater. The aim is to integrate this design seamlessly into the existing system, operating in concert with incumbent technologies such as boreholes.

The HydraNest water reservoir is our flagship project, designed to provide a reliable and sustainable water source for wildlife in arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Inspired by the unique pollination mechanism of Strelitzia reginae, or the Bird of Paradise flower, the reservoir aims to address the challenges of water scarcity and its devastating impact on wildlife populations.

Featured Project: The HydraNest Water Reservoir

Reduce wildlife mortality:

By providing a consistent water source, we aim to reduce the number of animal deaths caused by dehydration.

Mitigate human-wildlife conflict:

Improved access to water for wildlife can help reduce instances of conflict with humans, as animals are less likely to encroach on human settlements in search of water.

Enhance ecosystem health:

By supporting wildlife populations, we contribute to the overall health and resilience of fragile ecosystems.