NELSPRUIT – The aircraft, a Bat Hawk, arrived on Tuesday. The MTPA is responsible for wildlife protection in the province that covers more than 9 million hectares of land and has great interest in the well-being of animals and plants in the province, with special focus on the rare and endangered species and the protection thereof.
With rhino poachers being highly trained, it makes it difficult for authorities to track them down. However, the agency will now be one step ahead thanks to the two-seater aircraft, being lightweight with the capability of very slow airspeed and agility.
Some of the advantages of being airborne while fighting environmental crimes, include high visibility surveillance. This eliminates the advantages that criminals have on the ground when aerial support is unavailable.
The plane will be used for other core functions of the MTPA as well. These include intelligence gathering, spotting of veld fires and river monitoring. According to Mr Jan Muller, senior manager of wildlife protection, the use of light aircraft is extremely effective regarding the detection of unacceptable activities. “Sometimes patrol on foot is not enough to prevent crime.
The MTPA will now be able to have better control of certain situations before it’s too late, and with the advantage of being airborne, response time can be quicker. The assistance in air support plays a vital role in crime fighting and visible policing where it is difficult to reach an area by foot or vehicle,” said Muller.
