Let`s protect the island from poachers together!

Let`s protect the island from poachers together!

With the first snow and the advance of frosts on the territory of the Khortytsia National Reserve, favorable conditions for illegal hunting by using of loops appear. In order to prevent poaching and to identify and destroy such traps, intensive patrols of the territory are carried out by joint groups of inspectors of the regime service and employees of the nature protection sector of the Reserve. Despite the very
severe weather conditions, the most probable places for poaching are inspected daily. In the last week, 7 loops were found and destroyed.
Fortunately, no animals got into them. It is gratifying that the number of loops installed on the island Khortytsia in December has decreased compared to similar periods in previous years.

This is the first discovery of such illegal fishing implement this winter. And considering that most poachers make loops with snowfall, when
clearly visible tracks and trails trampled by animals, this is only the first news that in Zaporizhzhia there are still criminals who organize
hunting in the protected area, which is protected by the state.
The fight against this shameful phenomenon is complicated by the fact that such poachers are almost
indistinguishable from ordinary visitors – ordinary clothes and a small backpack on his back, which may contain hundreds of loops, or even a few hunted hares or pheasants. Therefore, the main means of combating this type of poaching remain daily patrolling, detection of
loops and their destruction before wild animals have time to get into them. Most often find loops installed on pheasants or hares. Much less frequently – for roe deer or wild boar, because larger prey is much harder to get out of the island unnoticed and a greater risk of being noticed.
The workers of the Reserve appeal to all visitors to the island Khortytsia to be vigilant and caring. If you find a poaching loop – immediately destroy it and report the location of the find to the reserve regime service by phone 280-60-60, let us know via social networks or by mail
zapovidnik@ukr.net. If you notice people, who install loops, people with weapons, or dead wildlife, call the police immediately 102, because hunting in the territory of the Reserve is a felony.