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The training included a presentation of the National Action Plan to combat the illegal use of poison baits in the wild, along with the devastating impact of this unlawful activity on numerous protected species of birds and other animals in the country. Specialized trainers from Spain highlighted approaches to investigating these types of crimes, methods for identifying unnatural causes of death in wild animals, recognizing the clinical signs typical of poisoning, and gathering evidence on site. Special attention was given to the proper preservation and laboratory analysis of samples from poisonous baits to identify the toxic substances used.
Íñigo Fajardo, head of the biodiversity department in the regional government of Andalusia, emphasized that, in a high percentage of cases, wildlife crimes are also linked to other serious crimes, such as trafficking and economic fraud, and should not be underestimated. “The use of poison baits in nature has a devastating effect on many globally endangered species, such as the Egyptian vulture and the imperial eagle, and additionally leads to environmental contamination and poses risks to human health. Therefore, effectively combating this type of crime is of significant public importance.”
In addition to theoretical sessions, the training included practical exercises, with demonstrations on evidence collection and preservation, as well as identifying the causes of death in wild animals based on external signs. Veterinarians from the Green Balkans Wildlife Rescue Center shared their experiences in treating protected species that had fallen victim to such attacks. The dog Poison and its handler from the General Directorate of National Police demonstrated the capabilities of specialized teams with dogs for searching rugged terrain and detecting poison baits and animal carcasses. Currently, Bulgaria has three specially trained dogs for this purpose—the first team was formed by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) in 2016, and in 2022, two more trained dogs were purchased from Spain and provided to the Ministry of the Interior by BSPB. On the final day of training, a practical test was held to simulate an incident involving the illegal placement of poison baits in the wild.
"The use of poison baits in nature is a crime that affects a large number of wild animals and has led to the local extinction of several endangered species, such as the black vulture in Bulgaria. This type of crime is extremely difficult to investigate due to its nature and the sparsely populated areas where it usually occurs. However, today we have a set of modern approaches and methods for successful counteraction," says Jovan Andevski from the Vulture Conservation Foundation. He is one of the founders of the Wildlife Crime Academy, through which dozens of officers from over 10 countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East have been trained since 2020, including three representatives from Bulgarian authorities.
"Successful investigation and identification of perpetrators in such crimes require good cooperation between various institutions and specialized knowledge. Active citizen involvement through reporting crimes against nature is crucial for the successful investigation of these crimes," adds Chief Inspector Trifon Boychev, head of the "Environmental and Wildlife Crimes" unit at the General Directorate of the National Police.
The training was funded by the Ministry of Environment and Water, with additional financial support from the "Life for the Falcon" project (LIFE20 NAT/BG/1162) co-financed by the EU's LIFE Program, which is coordinated by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB). The course was organized and conducted as a result of close cooperation between the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Ministry of Interior, the Vulture Conservation Foundation, BSPB, Trakia University in Stara Zagora, and the Green Balkans Wildlife Rescue Center.
Photos: Volen Arkumarev