>>Circling vultures bring attention to poachers, so the scavengers were likely poisoned by illegal hunters hoping to evade detection

More than 500 endangered vultures died in northern Botswana after feasting on elephant carcasses laced with poison, the country’s government announced last week. Conservationists say that poachers targeted the birds—two tawny eagles and 537 vultures comprising five different species—because their scavenging activities, particularly circling carrion, can alert authorities to hunters’ presence.

“Vultures are sentinels to poached animals, so they’re directly being targeted,” Kerri Wolter, CEO and founder of conservation charity VulPro, tells The New York Times’ Kimon de Greef.<<

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/poachers-poison-kills-530-endangered-vultures-botswana-180972477/

PermeateFree said:

>>Circling vultures bring attention to poachers, so the scavengers were likely poisoned by illegal hunters hoping to evade detection

More than 500 endangered vultures died in northern Botswana after feasting on elephant carcasses laced with poison, the country’s government announced last week. Conservationists say that poachers targeted the birds—two tawny eagles and 537 vultures comprising five different species—because their scavenging activities, particularly circling carrion, can alert authorities to hunters’ presence.

“Vultures are sentinels to poached animals, so they’re directly being targeted,” Kerri Wolter, CEO and founder of conservation charity VulPro, tells The New York Times’ Kimon de Greef.<<

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/poachers-poison-kills-530-endangered-vultures-botswana-180972477/

So a double evil going on

PermeateFree said:

>>Circling vultures bring attention to poachers, so the scavengers were likely poisoned by illegal hunters hoping to evade detection

More than 500 endangered vultures died in northern Botswana after feasting on elephant carcasses laced with poison, the country’s government announced last week. Conservationists say that poachers targeted the birds—two tawny eagles and 537 vultures comprising five different species—because their scavenging activities, particularly circling carrion, can alert authorities to hunters’ presence.

“Vultures are sentinels to poached animals, so they’re directly being targeted,” Kerri Wolter, CEO and founder of conservation charity VulPro, tells The New York Times’ Kimon de Greef.<<

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/poachers-poison-kills-530-endangered-vultures-botswana-180972477/

Nasty. Very nasty.

Time to make drones look like birds.

In the future mabe using very flexible wings.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Time to make drones look like birds.

In the future mabe using very flexible wings.

Then they can perform double duty.

Poacher spotters and decoys.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Time to make drones look like birds.

In the future mabe using very flexible wings.

Then they can perform double duty.

Poacher spotters and decoys.

More observation of endangered animals and birds is needed.

Perhaps a third use for drone birds is to lure the poachers to a spot where authorities are waiting.

Tau.Neutrino said:

Time to make drones look like birds.

In the future mabe using very flexible wings.

Just ordinary drones ought to frighten the poachers away. Send the drones up, and when one gets shot down send in the cavalry.

Need to either offer the poachers money to protect instead of kill the animals or flood the market with hard to detect fakes to make it not worth the effort. I imagine most are poor as and the money offered is a lure to do what they do.

Cymek said:

Need to either offer the poachers money to protect instead of kill the animals or flood the market with hard to detect fakes to make it not worth the effort. I imagine most are poor as and the money offered is a lure to do what they do.

They are NOT poor villagers doing this to feed their families, but highly organised crime who make large sums of money. These people are often heavily armed and kill rangers who try to stop them.

PermeateFree said:

Cymek said:

Need to either offer the poachers money to protect instead of kill the animals or flood the market with hard to detect fakes to make it not worth the effort. I imagine most are poor as and the money offered is a lure to do what they do.

They are NOT poor villagers doing this to feed their families, but highly organised crime who make large sums of money. These people are often heavily armed and kill rangers who try to stop them.

Ivory and rhino horn poachers, yes.

PermeateFree said:

Cymek said:

Need to either offer the poachers money to protect instead of kill the animals or flood the market with hard to detect fakes to make it not worth the effort. I imagine most are poor as and the money offered is a lure to do what they do.

They are NOT poor villagers doing this to feed their families, but highly organised crime who make large sums of money. These people are often heavily armed and kill rangers who try to stop them.

Which is why the military is needed.

Hunting poachers.

Eliminate the poachers

High altitude drone watches an area and is used to call in fire from a self propelled gun or high altitude air strike

I’m sure many militaries will be happy to use this for live fire training