Caucasian reserve to become «smart»

The Smart program allows tracking the inspectors, check the level of protection of sites, identify gaps that exist, and plan security measures for their implementation in accordance with available resources. The Head of WWF-Russia Northern Caucasus Regional Office, Valery Shmunk said the tool is a mobile application that is installed on the smartphones of the reserve’s inspectors. All data is collected on a single server. Moreover, this does not even require any connection.

Valery Shmunk noted that the system helps to keep a record of nature. Today, inspectors after returning from the field works fill out diaries, and researchers have to translate handwritten notes into electronic form.

The system is of particular importance in terms of security. Today, 90 inspectors are responsible for the territory of the Caucasus Nature Reserve, who conduct constant rounds. Over the past year, they have recorded 400 offences of various kinds. Valery Shmunk emphasized that, thanks to an understanding of the coordinates, it is much easier to find a lost person and gather evidence.

The Smart system has already been implemented in special protected natural areas in 50 countries. In Russia, it is still operating in the Far East, in the Ussuriisky Reserve. Thus, scientists receive new data on rare animals - the Siberian tiger. In the Caucasus Nature Reserve, this tool serves to track the Persian leopard.