WWF Nepal Launches Conservation Drones

Lisa Poppleton Jun 28, 2012

*One-horned rhino. Photo: Sanjay Ach (Wikimedia Commons)*

On June 12, 2012, World Wildlife Fund Nepal successfully tested two drones designed to monitor animals and keep a lookout for poachers in Chitwan National Park. With a two-meter wingspan and a 25-km range, the drones can stay in the air for 45 minutes. Of particular concern in the region are the vulnerable populations of Bengal tigers and one-horned rhinos. The once robust populations of these two animals have sharply declined over the past century due to poaching and habitat loss. Check out photos of the drone and its launch at https://wwfnepal.org/?205266/Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicle-to-aid-Nepals-Conservation-Efforts, opens in new tab.

Tiger — *Bengal tiger. Photo: Bjorn Christian Torrison (Wikimedia Commons)*

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