Experimental assessment of the viability of using ground penetrating radar for metal wire-snare detection

Abstract

Wildlife crime is an international issue with the illicit trade of flora and fauna estimated to be worth several billion dollars. In national parks, the problem can often be summarised as an arms race, with poachers trying to remain undetected by park rangers and other security personnel that are trying to protect the natural habitat and species from exploitation. Within this context, the detection of wire snares is a critical step. Not only can it reduce the number of animals caught by poachers but it can also help rangers develop better situation awareness and, in turn, improve patrolling strategies. To address the practical challenge of wire-snare detection across wide areas, this article examines the capacity of ground penetrating radar (GPR). Using two snares of small and medium sizes, the experiment confirmed the promising role of this technology, even if poachers attempt to conceal the snares underneath small tree branches and roots.

Modeling Buried Object Brightness and Visibility for Ground Penetrating Radar

“…G ROUND penetrating radar (GPR) has a long-standing history of application to buried object and subsurface anomaly detection [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]. GPR systems are particularly relevant for the detection of landmines, and the more general field of Explosive Hazard Detection (EHD), leveraging their ability to non-destructively evaluate both metallic and non-metallic buried objects [6].…”

Securing Protected Areas

“…Similarly, specialised technologies should only be used when a clearly defined problem requires it. For example, snare detection technologies are available and potentially effective (Borrion et al 2019), but may not be financially or logistically sustainable.…”