A system for registration of gunshots on part of the protected area „Vihren“

Major challenges faced by Pirin National Park include illegal hunting and the illegal fishing. Hunting is usually performed by using guns and different types of ammunitions. Often the locals use explosives for fishing in the river basins. To tackle with this problem the administration of the Pirin National Park decided to implement and use a system for registration of gunshots. The system allows the park administration to register in real time any shots or explosions. As of today there are four sensors mounted at controlling points in the “Vihren” park area, which is the most urbanized and the most accessible part of the mountain by potential poachers. In the Vihren’s part of the park is also situated the largest population of wild goats (Rupicapra rupicapra) on the whole Balkan peninsula. There are also populations, although small, of brown bears (Ursus arctos). The implementation of the system for registration of shots will help improve the conservation status of the above mentioned protected animals as well as of other species like the rabbit and the deer, which also populate this particular protected area. The so implemented system allows those officers who sit in the office of the administration, as well as those who are patrolling in the mountain, with access to field information in real time. The system also has functionalities to record other sounds and reproduce the recorded information upon necessity.