IDUKKI: The Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Idukki has become the first tiger reserve in the state to use e-patrolling technology called M-STrIPES (Monitoring System For Tigers-Intensive Protection and Ecological Status), developed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India, for easier monitoring of tigers and to ensure its robust estimation.
After the successful completion of training for using this GPS-enabled mobile app in all forest ranges of PTR, the forest authorities have started implementing it in the reserve by the beginning of March. PTR Deputy Director Shilpa V Kumar said the field staff, while using field protocol of mobile app, would feed important inputs during patrolling which would provide data about animal mortality, illegal activity such as poaching, animal population status, habitat status, patrol efforts and human pressure/interference in the area.
The app provides data storage and reports generating tools with which the information fed by forest guards/foresters would reach the control room set up in the reserve and National Tiger Conservation Authority, senior wildlife officials and WII tiger cell.