In recent years, many people have heard of “drones” being used in various places around the world. Yet many people are not quite sure what they are and their practical uses. The Crime Museum, in partnership with the Kashmir World Foundation, is giving visitors a hands-on approach to learning the important role drones play in illegal wildlife trafficking around the world.
“This workshop is an hands-on way for the public to learn about non-military uses for drones are and how important they are in helping in the global fight against wildlife trafficking,” states Janine Vaccarello, chief operating officer of the Crime Museum. “With drones, we are able to keep better tabs on what is going on with poachers, so we can better help animal populations.”
In the drone building workshop guests have the opportunity to build their own drone to take it home. Participants will learn how drones are used, how to build their own, and participate in a flight day to fly their drone. The workshop includes three classroom dates that participants are required to attend to complete their drone:
· July 9, 2015
· July 16, 2015
· July 23, 2015
· 1 flight day that will be held at a different location, date to be determined
The workshop will be held at the Crime Museum, located in Washington DC. The fee for the workshop is $450 per person, which includes all classes and instruction, and two admission tickets to the Crime Museum, plus an additional fee for the drone kit per building team. This workshop is open to those ages 18 and up. Children under 18 may be allowed if accompanied by an adult.
The Crime Museum recently opened the new wildlife trafficking exhibit, titled Ivory, Tortoise Shell, & Fur: The Ugly Truth of Wildlife Trafficking.” The issue is one that has gained worldwide attention, with everyone from the president to celebrities weighing in. Many people are unaware of how critical the situation has become, yet the statistics are alarming. It’s estimated that 97 percent of the world’s tigers have been lost in the last century, 76 percent of elephants have been lost during the last 13 years, and over 1,200 rhinoceros were killed last year alone. These animal populations have been depleted largely due to illegal wildlife trafficking, with some of their parts being used for such things as ivory carvings, tortoise shell hair clips, black market items, and more.
Drones are effectively being used in the war against illegal wildlife trafficking, because they can successfully go undetected, while a ranger cannot. They are equipped with night vision cameras and infrared systems, which are used to track poachers that usually hunt at night to reduce their changes of being caught. With drones collecting information about the poachers, including tracking them, they can be used to help catch more of the criminals and protect more animals.
The drone workshop was created by Kashmir World Foundation. They have aptly named it the “DaVinci Challenge: Anti-Crime Workshop.” The creator behind the workshop is Princess Aliyah Pandolfi, who founded the Kashmir World Foundation, as well as the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) challenge, which fosters innovation in utilizing unmanned aircraft to help fight the war on illegal wildlife trafficking.
“It is our time to do something to help these animals and help our planet,” explains Princess Aliyah Pandolfi. “The more we get people interested in using their ideas and imaginations with unmanned aircraft, the more successful we will be in fighting this global illegal wildlife trafficking problem. It’s a big step in the right direction.”
The Wildlife Trafficking exhibit will be at the Crime Museum from June 2015 through February 2016, giving people an opportunity to see if they are contributing to the problem, and how they can help. The Crime Museum also offers a variety of other temporary and traveling exhibits, summer camp programs, walking tours, educational hands-on exhibits, and more. For more information to purchase tickets, visit their site at www.crimemuseum.org. To get involved, use and search for #ProtectOurWildlife and #SavetheElephants, or buy an awareness T-shirt, with proceeds going to the Youth Environmental Programs.
This exhibit is made possible by Freeland Foundation, International Fund for Animal Welfare, INTERPOL, Kashmir World Foundation, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WildAid, Wildlife Trust of India and Youth Environmental Programs.