Every month, specially formed Anti-poaching Units of the Gendarmerie Inspectorate for Hunedoara County patrol different sectors of the LIFE Connect Carpathians (LCC) project area.
Through the LCC project the Romanian Gendarmerie was given jurisdiction for anti-poaching over the entire project area, known as the Apuseni-Western Carpathians Ecological Corridor. The ecological corridor comprises 17 Natura 2000 sites, covering over 4.600km2, overlapping with the counties of Alba, Arad, Bihor, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Gorj, Hunedoara and Timis.
The project is taking a novel approach by creating a specialist unit within the County Gendarmerie, to directly tackle poaching and other environmental crimes. Using specialist equipment and patrolling methods, the Anti-poaching Units aim to prevent and detect poaching in problem areas.
The Anti-poaching Units have been successful in preventing and reducing the levels of poaching and environmental crimes, with 37 offenses being detected, and 168 infractions being issued.
A successful example can be found at the following link: Poachers caught by Gendarmes in a forest from Zam
To support this work the Gendarmerie carries out activities to support local communities by providing information and education on topics of environmental protection.
