Drones outfitted with thermal imaging cameras, have saved thousands of fawns from being killed by mowing machines in German fields.
The Agriculture Minister, Julia Kloeckner disclosed this in remarks published on Thursday.
The federal ministry supports the drone programme, Kloeckner told the newspapers of the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland network.
“Thanks to our funding, around 200 drones were used. So far, almost six thousand fawns have been saved,’’ she added.
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The three million-euro (3.5-million-dollars) programme, was launched in March and funding was set to increase.
The drones helped farmers to search their meadows for fawns before mowing.
According to the ministry, deer often hide the young in the tall grass to protect them from predators.
Fawns were usually not visible to humans with the naked eye.
If danger was imminent, young deer would not run away, but crouch flat on the grass and remain motionless.
Year after year, thousands of fawns were accidentally killed, when meadows were mowed.
Thanks to the drones and thermal imaging, fawns can be discovered and brought to safety.
Source: dpa