Nepal: Conservation Drones to Patrol Protected Wildlife Areas

WWF Nepal has announced that “Conservation Drones” (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) will be monitoring wildlife within Nepal’s Terai Arc Landscape.

Successful test flights were conducted on June 12^th in Chitwan National Park, thanks to WWF Nepal and WWF’s Asian Rhino and Elephant Action Strategy (AREAS).

In addition to capturing images of heavily trafficked species such as rhinos and tigers, the Conservation Drones will be able to monitor illegal activities within Nepal’s protected areas.

Anil Manandhar, Country Representative of WWF Nepal, explained that the UAVs are part of the country’s conservation arsenal.

WWF Nepal has been introducing new science and technology to aid ongoing conservation efforts in Nepal; the Conservation Drones are the latest addition. We believe that this technology will be instrumental in monitoring Nepal’s flagship species and curbing illegal wildlife trade.

Nepal is home to the Bengal tiger and greater one-horned rhino, both of which are in constant danger of being killed, due to the continued use of tiger bones and body parts, and rhino horns, in traditional Chinese medicine.

About the Conservation Drones:

• Remote-controlled
• Two meters wide
• Flies at a maximum elevation of 200 meters
• Covers a distance of up to 25 kilometers within a duration of 45 minutes

Photo © Partnership for Rhino Conservation, Nepal (PARC/Nepal)

Source: WWF

Rhishja Cota

I am the founder of Annamiticus and I have been researching and writing about wildlife trafficking issues since 2009. I also founded World Pangolin Day in 2012. I am the author of USAID Wildlife Asia's Pangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk. I co-facilitated and was a presenter at the USAID Wildlife Asia Pangolin Care Workshop. At the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora, I facilitated the species roundtables on pangolins. I have trekked with forest rangers in Cambodia, journeyed to the streets of Hanoi to research the illegal wildlife trade, and to the rainforests of Sumatra and Java to document the world’s rarest rhinos. At CITES meetings, I collaborate with colleagues from around the world to lobby in favor of protecting endangered species. I hosted the Behind the Schemes podcast and am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine. I enjoy music, desert gardening, herping, reading, creating, and walking with my dogs. Check out my t-shirts and stickers at snoots + teefers.