The Amur Tiger Center's Programme for the satellite communications equipment of the departments for the protection of PAs and hunting supervision services in the tiger areal has started. The first step was the transfer of the equipment to Ussuriysky Nature Reserve and Anyui National Park.
Specially protected natural reservations (SPNRs) in the territory of the Amur tiger’s areal preserve this rare species from extinction and its habitat from destruction. The groups of tigers at SPNR are not affected by the human household activities, so they are a gold reserve that provide the settling of tigers on adjacent territories.
The SPNR regime does not allow economic usage of the territory and negatively affects mobile communication coverage of the area. Often the areal inspectors face armed poachers alone with no means of communication with the outside world.
"It is symbolic that we start the cooperation from the northern SPNR (Anyui National Park) and the southern SPNR (Ussuriysky Nature Reserve in the Amur tiger areal in the Sikhote-Alin), - says director of the Primorsky branch of The Amur Tiger Center Sergei Aramilev. - We fully understand the importance of the SPNR for the maintenance of the Amur tiger population, so we are going to cooperate with other SPNRs in the area of the tiger’s habitat in the near future. Satellite communications equipment of the departments is just the first step, which is to be followed by more substantial assistance. We hope it will increase the efficiency of environmental activities. The SPNR inspectors perform honorable work and are in point of fact "singular" specialists. The cost of the satellite equipment is nothing compared to their lives and health".
Ussuriysky Nature Reserve and Anyui National Park got 2 and 4 one year prepaid satellite phones accordingly. Given the specifics and conditions of the area the Extreme series model has been selected. This model has a better shock-resistant body, protected from dust and moisture compared to analogs. These phones also have a number of new useful features, such as phone tracking and a «SOS» button which sends messages with GPS coordinates or makes connection to a preselected contact.
"We are very pleased with the development of the cooperation with the Amur Tiger Center. Despite the fact that the organization is just beginning its work, it has already formed a clear plan of work and interaction with territories such as ours, - says director of Anyui National Park Alexander Samarin. - Given the underpopulation of Khabarovskiy Krai and underdeveloped cellular network, satellite phones are vital to our security department, because it is the only way we can ensure the safety of inspectors and improve the efficiency of their work".