Russian nature reserves will receive free camera traps

VTB and the Nature Conservationists Foundation have announced the launch of the Wild Frame contest, in which researchers, scientists and environmental organizations will be able to receive free camera traps for observing animals in protected areas. At the first stage of the project, 140 cameras will be available. Petr Shpilenok, Advisor to the President and Chairman of the Board of VTB, Director of the Foundation for Nature Defenders, told about this at the XVII International Ecology Forum.

The competition will be held in two categories: "Development of a photomonitoring network in protected areas" and "Camera traps for solving environmental problems". In the first part, participants need to present the design of a network of camera traps, a data analysis methodology, and confirm their willingness to join the national photomonitoring network of Russia. The second task is to describe a specific environmental problem and suggest a way to solve it using camera traps.

Camera traps work silently and allow you to monitor rare animals, study their behavior and identify threats in time, for example, the actions of poachers.

NGOs, research institutes, institutions managing specially protected natural areas, as well as scientists, photographers and environmental volunteers can participate in the competition. Applications are accepted until May 4, and the winners will be announced on May 31.

"There are almost 190 nature reserves and national parks in Russia, but the largest network of cameras — 500 camera traps — is located only in the national park "Land of the Leopard", which has been supported by VTB for several years. There is a shortage of monitoring equipment in other reserves," said Shpilenok. The organizers of the project expect that it will help improve the technical capabilities of Russian nature parks, increase the effectiveness of animal monitoring and make acquaintance with the animal and plant world of Russia more interesting and accessible.

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