Drones helped track down six groups of poachers in Primorsky Krai

Using drones, specialists at Land of the Leopard National Park in southern Primorye were able to identify six groups of fishermen who were illegally fishing in protected rivers during the fishing season. This was reported by the organization's press service.

«"Land of the Leopard inspectors apprehended poachers using Zala drones from the Kalashnikov Concern. The perpetrators, who were attempting to catch salmon, were spotted from an altitude of over a kilometer and were unaware of their presence. <…> During the fishing season, six groups of poachers were detected and neutralized using drones," the statement reads.

It is noted that poachers' activities become more active from the end of August, when valuable species of red fish come to spawn in the rivers of the National Park, where fishing is prohibited. To combat them, drones are used, which allow to record violations. The devices also work at night, as they are equipped with thermal imaging cameras.

In addition to catching poachers, copters are also used to monitor forest fires and identify arsonists.

«"Using drones allows us to quickly obtain the coordinates of violators and quickly apprehend them, preventing illegal salmon fishing in a timely manner," Yevgeny Stoma, deputy director for conservation at the Land of the Leopard Federal State Budgetary Institution, was quoted as saying in the statement.

The 369,000-hectare Land of the Leopard National Park contains several spawning rivers, from which fishing is a criminal offense.