News / National
Zimparks to use drones to fight poachers
16 Feb 2016 at 10:48hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) officials are considering using drones, helicopters, sniffer dogs and surveillance cameras in fighting poachers in country's game parks.
Zimparks director-general Edison Chidziya told Parliament Monday on the plans.
"We are working with other law enforcement agencies on regulatory frameworks on use of drones.
"There are various suppliers of such technology and once the regulatory framework is finalised, we will look at using such technology."
"We managed to detect 8 000 incursions in Parks estates since last year and 145 poachers. 45 poachers were accounted for, as well as 29 poaching foreign nationals. We have seen a trend where local involvement in poaching is increasing."
In 2013 a total of 105 wild animals were lost through poisoning in Hwange, while in 2015 about 100 animals were poisoned with 32 lost at one particular site.
Zimparks director-general Edison Chidziya told Parliament Monday on the plans.
"We are working with other law enforcement agencies on regulatory frameworks on use of drones.
"We managed to detect 8 000 incursions in Parks estates since last year and 145 poachers. 45 poachers were accounted for, as well as 29 poaching foreign nationals. We have seen a trend where local involvement in poaching is increasing."
In 2013 a total of 105 wild animals were lost through poisoning in Hwange, while in 2015 about 100 animals were poisoned with 32 lost at one particular site.
Source - NewsDay
