Wildlife monitoring in the Rila Mountain

Amongst the major challenges faced by the protected sites in National Park Rila are the illegal hunting, illegal fishing, irresponsible behavior of visitors and locals. As a result of this the last two decades were marked with significant reduction of the populations of species and the territories where these species can be met were significantly narrowed. In order to mitigate the negative effects of the human interaction in the Rila National Park, its administration is taking numerus actions aiming to protect the wildlife. On key tourist routs were place wildlife cameras. These cameras do not only monitor the wildlife but also make photos of persons and cars who visit the area in an unusual time or in an unusual manner – at night, in the winter, armed, etc. Observation of the photos made can point out to potential illegal activities and also help to discover the individuals who performed them. The cameras also provide opportunities for the photos to be immediately sent to the mobile phones of the security officers, allowing them to track the movement of people and cars and follow them to prevent or evidence any misdoings in the park. Efforts are also made to improve the conservation status of the Great tit. Dozens of bird houses are placed in the areas that provide good living conditions for this habitat. They are regularly monitored by the security staff to find out whether the initiative brings the expected positive results.