Drones for fawn rescue: lifesavers in action over northern Hesse!

Drones for fawn rescue: lifesavers in action over northern Hesse!

The meadows of northern Hesse are about more than just the green gold of agriculture. There are fawns here that are in need of protection as newborn wild animals, and their rescue has become increasingly important in recent years. Farmers and hunting associations are currently faced with the challenge of protecting these vulnerable animals from death by mowing. As the HNA reported, every meadow must be carefully searched before it is worked. The responsibility lies with the managers, who often receive support from volunteers from the North Hesse fawn rescue team.

But the sad reality is shown in an incident at the Reinhardshagen Forestry Office, where despite all precautionary measures there was a fatal accident: a fawn was killed by mowing. The forestry office management, represented by Holger Pflüger-Grone, therefore urgently points out the need to carefully examine areas. Unfortunately, the conventional methods of deterring or draining the areas are not recognized in court.

Effective fawn rescue techniques

So what is the most effective method to save the little fawns? The use of drones with thermal imaging cameras has proven to be particularly successful. According to that Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Homeland (BMLEH) This technology is not only promoted, but also increasingly valued. The fawn rescuers in northern Hesse were active on 41 days this year and were able to search up to 250 hectares of meadows every day with their five teams. Five fawns were spotted in Wolfhagen and one in Naumburg and brought to safety.

Drone technology enables precise location of wild animals, using flight data to find where the fawns are laid. After mowing, the rescuers return the animals they found to their natural habitats. Young rabbits are also taken into safe care, a further step towards protecting wild animals. This year, many rabbits have already been saved from death by mowing, which makes the work of the fawn rescuers all the more valuable.

Promoting drone technology

The Federal Ministry is making money available to support these important measures. As part of a federal funding program, a sum of 2.5 million euros was approved for the purchase of the drones Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) informed. Applications for funding could be submitted until June 17, 2025, and funding is also planned for next year.

Drone technology offers great potential for more effective wildlife rescue and shows once again how important animal protection is in agriculture. The challenges are great, but the constant development and integration of the latest technologies brings a breath of fresh air to the concern of protecting small wild animals from death at the hands of machines.