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+--- Thread: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? (/topic-wild-animals-information-on-public-places-also-have-bad-consequences)
Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - sanjay - 08-14-2014
This topic has been created to discuss and debate on How the information put on public places like website, facebook, twitter and other famous places are misused by poachers and animal criminals to poach and kills these animals.
I have read some report the information like places, date, increasing number, Latest information in certain places, forest ranger details etc are well followed by Poachers and Animal mafia to know and plan their next victim (tigers, rhinos, lions etc).
So we need to discuss on these issue.
1. How the poachers are one step ahead then the animal conservation programs?
2. How poachers exactly use these animals information on internet and utilize it to kill the wild animals?
3. What should be caution taken while posting information about your photos, videos, research and other details of wild animals ?
4. Did Poachers also concern when the number of animals decrease, because it will effect their business ?
5. What could be solution for this problem and what step should be taken by wildlife photographer, experts, animal sanctuaries, animal conservation programs and wildlife organization ?
Your thoughts and suggestion ?
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - Pckts - 08-14-2014
I agree, but we shouldn't limit it to just poachers. The Gov'ts of the countries or are also to blame.
Like S. Africa allowing hunting of lions or other animals. Kodiak allowing "population control" of Kodiak Grizzlies. etc..
I wonder if they use public forums to locate animals as well?
Good idea for a thread Sanjay
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - sanjay - 08-14-2014
An article published on kaspersky blog on how poachers can use internet to kill engendered animals like tiger and rhino-
It is easily possible for a poacher (or a hacker hired by poacher) to break into the private information like email accounts of scientist that receive data from the GPS collars that wildlife conservationists attach to endangered species like tiger. Biologists and conservationist use these collars to study the behaviors and monitor the locations of such animals. So if the poachers get access of that information, they can monitor the migration patterns or in certain cases the real time locations of the tagged animals in order to track and ultimately kill them.
The Times of India publish an article in September 2013 (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Hacking-tiger-collar-Cyber-poachers-fox-wildlife-brass-MP-forest-officials/articleshow/22826103.cms), in which hackers may have done just that: attempted to hack into an email account containing the relay information of an "Iridium GPS Satellite Collar" that had been attached to a tiger in the Panna Tiger Reserve in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India.
*This image is copyright of its original author
National Geographic also publish a article (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131010-poaching-technology-tigers-endangered-animals-science/) a month later. Hackers (poachers) managed to gather the proper credentials to the email account of one of the three men with legal access to the tiger’s GPS collar information. For five months, the GPS collar had been updating that email account with the exact location of the tiger. The collar relayed coordinates every hour for the first three months and every four hours for the following two months until the collar’s battery died and the transmissions went dark. This would be a great information for the kind of person that is in endangered animals body part illegal business.
Luckily, the server maintaining this email address caught the hackers attempt and information. The poacher or hacker that was trying to access that email account is located in Dehradun, India. The hacking attempt was originating from an IP block located more than 1000 KM away in Pune, India. The server flagged the login attempt and blocked it.
Dr. Krishnamurthy Ramesh, the head of the tiger monitoring program at the reserve, told that even if the poachers did get the email account details, they would have had a difficult time in deciphering the information.
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - Vinod - 08-15-2014
(08-14-2014, 09:57 PM)'sanjay' Wrote: An article published on kaspersky blog on how poachers can use internet to kill engendered animals like tiger and rhino-
It is easily possible for a poacher (or a hacker hired by poacher) to break into the private information like email accounts of scientist that receive data from the GPS collars that wildlife conservationists attach to endangered species like tiger. Biologists and conservationist use these collars to study the behaviors and monitor the locations of such animals. So if the poachers get access of that information, they can monitor the migration patterns or in certain cases the real time locations of the tagged animals in order to track and ultimately kill them.
wow! never realised such methods could be employed by poachers, thanks for starting this thread Sanjay & bringing it to attention of others as well.
I think bribing is also involved here, since to poach an animal they will need access to & most if not all of the forests in India are reserved & supposed to be "protected".
One thing comes to my mind after reading such stories is the incident of Bandhavgarh tiger "Kallu" the most popular & photographed tiger at that time & what happened one fine day? Kallu disappeared without a trace. I always thought poor Kallu was a victim of his success. [img]images/smilies/undecided.gif[/img]
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - sanjay - 08-15-2014
Definitely bribing is involve in such cases. In fact bribing is first method used by poachers to lurk poor villagers nearby the national park to poison or kill the tiger.
I have read and seen some documentary in which poor villagers do this crime for 5000- 6000 INR (~100 USD) offered by poachers.
But the point is , now poachers are using new technology like internet and website like facebook, twitter wildlife experts blog etc, scientists accounts and other places where endangered animals information can be found easily.
So for example consider, someone of us or wildlife photographer uploaded his photo of tiger mother with 3 cubs, in enthusiasm he also mention that he has take the photo yesterday in particular area, Now a poachers following this information will definitely use it to locate the mother tiger for his illegal trade business.
I agree that killing of Bandhavgarh tiger "Kallu" may had happened through this way.
Recently I also read an article where African wildlife park placed a notice not to update Rhino photos and information on facebook and twitter. Will try to find this article and will post here.
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - Apollo - 08-15-2014
Hi Sanjay,
Do you have more info or website links on Kallu's death.
I like to update Kallu's profile in Tiger Directory.
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - sanjay - 08-15-2014
Hi Apollo,
Sorry, I have not get any information through my seacrh, But if i get something will inform you.
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - Apollo - 08-16-2014
(08-15-2014, 08:14 PM)'sanjay' Wrote: Hi Apollo,
Sorry, I have not get any information through my seacrh, But if i get something will inform you.
Where you got the info that Kallu died ?
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - sanjay - 08-16-2014
No, I never got such information, I was replying to vinod answer, he suspected that kallu death might have been due to the advance technique used by poachers as described in some of the above post here.
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - Apollo - 08-16-2014
(08-16-2014, 10:34 AM)'sanjay' Wrote: No, I never got such information, I was replying to vinod answer, he suspected that kallu death might have been due to the advance technique used by poachers as described in some of the above post here.
Oh ok
Thanks Sanjay
As far as I know there is no info on Kallu's whereabouts.
It was said that he moved into a Non-tourism zone.
Unfortunately there is no updates on him.
RE: Wild animals information on public places also have bad consequences ? - sanjay - 08-18-2014
Here is the article that show posting of endangered animal information on social network website are misused by poachers.
A park in South Africa, put up a notice requesting tourists not to tag photographs of rhinoceroses posted to the internet with locations, because these images could help to lead poachers to the endangered animals.
*This image is copyright of its original author
"Poachers have more information of wild animals than any tourist" - Anish Andheria, president of the Wildlife Conservation Trust. He said "We go to reserves because we love it, but poachers are dependent on it for their lives. Poachers sometimes know more about wildlife than protectors of forest."
However, experts in India remain unconvinced that this could be a serious threat to Indian reserves. The threat of cyber-poaching in the Indian context, they say, seems unlikely for now.
Even a successful attempt to hack the Wildlife Institute’s systems is unlikely to help poachers much. According to Shardul Bajikar, editor of Natural History at wildlife magazine Saevus, only eight or nine tigers in the country have been radio-tagged for monitoring. he said "It is an insignificant fraction of the overall tiger population"
Poachers could access a much bigger, current and updated information of tigers from locals and have absolutely no need whatsoever to use geotagged images, which may be from any time and date in past or hack radio collars which will help them access a small number of tigers who are being better tracked and protected best.
All three maintained that poachers rely on local sources and their own knowledge of their prey’s rhythms, not on technology, to source their information.
Geo-tagging is also not a big problem at any point, even as more of India is accessing internet through their smartphones. Tourists in India are legally permitted access to only 20% of a reserve, whereas in Africa and Australia, they have much freer access. This means that only those animals that frequent that part of the reserve are in particular danger of being photographed, let alone being tracked down days later.