Lookingfor
aSolution

KimWilliams-​​​​​​​Guillénisanecologist.She’salsothedirectorofconservationscienceforPasoPacífico.Thegroupprotects biodiversityinCentral America.


Sheknewseaturtleeggswerepoached,buttherewassomuchshedidn’tknow.Wheredidthepoachersgo?Whowasbuyingtheeggs?Sheneededawaytotrackthepoachers.Whatifshecreatedafaketurtleeggwithatrackingdeviceinit?Whatifsheputitinafreshseaturtlenest?Ifitlookedrealenough,poachersmightnot notice.

KimWilliams-Guillénholdsfaketurtleeggswithtrackers inside.

atime-lapsevideoofegg printing

ANewIdea

PasoPacíficosubmittedthisideatotheWildlifeCrimeTechChallenge.Itwasselectedin2016asoneof16winnersoutof300applicants.Theprizemoneywasusedtohelpdevelopthefirstprototypeforthefake eggs.


ArealseaturtleeggisaboutthesizeofaPing-Pongball.Ithasasmalldentinit.It’snotcoveredinahardshell.Instead,it’sslightlysquishy.Togetanalmostrubberyfeel,Williams-Guillénneededtofindtherightsortof plastic.

Shetestedseveralmaterialsbeforefindingtherightone.Sheuseda3-Dprinter toproducethefakeegg.Butitstilldidn’tlookquiteright.Inarealegg,theyellowyolkalmostshinesthroughthethin,white shell.


Williams-Guillénknewsheneededhelp.So,shecontactedLaurenWilde,aspecialeffectsandmakeupartistinLosAngeles.Wildetooktheprintedeggsandsandedthemtomakethemsmooth.Thensheappliedcoatsofpaintandgluetogettheright color.


Fromtheoutside,thefakeeggslookalmostidenticaltorealones.Butontheinside,thefakeeggispackedwiththekindofelectronicsyoumightfindinacellphone.Theyconnecttotheinternet.Theyrevealthedateandtimethattheeggisatacertain location.

LaurenWildeinspectsoneofthefakeseaturtle eggs.

HollywoodmakeupartistLaurenWildeusespaintandglueonthefakeeggstomakethemlook real.

Thefakeeggsarehardto spot.

Onewasplacedontopofthis nest. 

Notonlycantheteamtracktheegg,theycanalsofigureouthowfasttheeggismoving.Thatmayhelpthemdeterminethekindoftransportationusedtomovethe egg.


Eachfakeeggcostsabout$40tomake.AndWilliams-Guillénneededseveraltotestinthefield.Luckily,PasoPacíficowasawardedanotherprizetofurtherdevelopthe project.

Eachfakeeggweighsasmuchasarealegg.However,itisstuffedwithatracking device.