Techno-Cops Guard Animals

Sun., Oct. 22, 1995

Dallas Morning News

As much as their meager budgets allow, wildlife enforcement officers are employing technology to help nab poachers.

Here are some examples:

A piece of copper tubing might be inserted in the stomachs of fish found in illegal traps or nets. At check stations, metal detectors can be used to identify the fish and the poacher.

Standard warden’s gear in Texas includes night vision goggles and starlight spotting scopes for night surveillance.

DNA blood tests are being used to connect poachers with deer. A warden can take blood samples from a pickup and determine how many different deer carcasses were hauled away. Other forensic tests will reveal whether dressed meat was a buck or a doe deer.

As useful as technology has proved to the enforcement of game laws, wardens said they still rely on old fashion techniques to make most cases.

Most cases are made because honest sportsmen report seeing a violation.

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