Red Deer was Found Killed by Poachers near Svilengrad

A red deer was found killed by poachers near Svilengrad, announced the "Wilder Rhodope" Foundation. Remnants of red dear Kibela were discovered after a signal by experts from the Foundation and an on-site inspection with representatives of the Regional Administration in Svilengrad and the Regional Directorate of Forests (RDF) in Kardzhali.

The red deer is one of the 80 released animals in the last five years. It was released along with six others on the territory of the Studen Kladenets breeding station in the Eastern Rhodopes in February this year. Five of the animal have GPS transmitters, allowing the team to monitor their every move in real-time. "With the help of the new technologies, half a year later, we regretfully learned that one of them was a victim of poachers," the Foundation said.

Pre-trial proceedings have been initiated in this case. In case they are captured, the poachers will lose their hunting rights and pay compensation for the slaughtered animal.

The red deer is one of the most popular wild animals painted in Thracian tombs. The species was almost extinct from the area because of poaching, as several animals are preserved on the border parts of the Eastern and Western Rhodopes in the state hunting farm "Jenda". The restoration of the population of fallow deer and red deer is carried out within the framework of the project "Preservation Vultures in the Rhodopes", developed by Rewilding Europe, in partnership with "Wilder Rhodope" Foundation, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds.