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Drones save fawns: How to successfully save wild animals in your region!
In the Schleswig-Flensburg district, an honorary association supports the rescue of fawns with thermal imaging drones during the mowing season.
Drones save fawns: How to successfully save wild animals in your region!
The beginning of spring marks the beginning of a special time for local wild animals. The breeding and nesting season ensures that rickets lay their fawns in tall grass to protect them from predators. But this behavior has a dark side: many fawns, wild ducks and young rabbits duck when threatened and remain motionless, which often leads to tragic accidents when they are overlooked by mowers. In this context, fawn rescue is becoming more and more important, as shz.de reports.
In May 2022, the association “Rehkitzrettung Jörler Raum e.V.” brought into being. Its goal is to support farmers and property owners during the mowing season and ensure wildlife rescue. Drones with thermal imaging cameras are used, which have proven to be the most effective method for finding fawns. Early in the morning, the meadows that are to be mowed are searched with these drones. Fawns that are found end up safely in boxes from where their mothers can pick them up later.
Support from the federal government
The purchase of this modern technology is funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Community (BMLEH). The government is making 2.5 million euros available for the “Federal Fawn Rescue Program”. Registered associations that specialize in rescuing wild animals are particularly eligible to apply, but not hunting cooperatives or individuals, as ble.de informs.
Facilitation for the use of drones
To further facilitate the use of drones, new regulations have been introduced. A general order that will take effect on November 20, 2024 allows the operation of unmanned aircraft near residential and commercial areas. Provided that the drone weighs between 250 grams and 25 kilograms and the lateral distance is more than 10 meters. These facilitations have the potential to significantly expand the area available for drone operations, as drohnen.de notes.
The regulation is a pilot project and is limited to November 19, 2024. It also repeals the strict regulations of the EU Drone Regulation for animal welfare using drones. This could be an important step towards making the rescue of young wild animals such as fawns more efficient.
The association is dependent on financial support in order to be able to purchase additional drones, which are urgently needed despite their high acquisition costs of around 6,500 euros. Anyone interested in helping can find more information on the association's website. With solidarity support from the Husum to Flensburg region, valuable work can be done for animal protection.