COIMBATORE: Since the wild elephant migration is set to begin across the Valparai plateau from this month, the Smart Virtual Fencing System which is a new initiative by the Tamil Nadu forest department is expected to help the authorities to prevent human-wild elephant conflict.
As many as 1,300 virtual fences have been set up — 700 were installed at Valparai forest range and 600 at Manomboly forest range — at a cost of Rs 2.995 crore under the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives (TANII). The locations were selected on the basis of the places frequented by the pachyderms in the previous year. These thermal-based sensors were installed at the entry points of elephants.
As the 10-foot-high fence detects the animal 100 ft away the sensor will flash as well as deliver a sound. The Smart Virtual Fencing System is a solar-powered device that uses infrared sensors to detect the intrusion of any animal. After noticing the light and siren, the people will realise there is an elephant movement and will not enter into the elephant pathway. Moreover, upon getting the alert the forest department staff would also visit and divert the wild elephants.
Already as part of alerting elephant movements to residents, Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) officials with the help of NGOs are sending cell phone messages, television scrolls etc. Also, round-the-clock monitoring by Anti-Poaching Watchers (APW) and other field-level staff at Valparai is also paying dividends.
According to K Bhargava Teja, Deputy Director, ATR, “The installation of virtual fences commenced six months ago and completed a few weeks ago. Due to our continued efforts, the instances of elephants damaging the labour quarters and ration shops have come down. Different herds of elephants finished properties 75 times in 2022 and it came down to 52 in 2023. Only six damages were reported in the last seven months.
“The virtual fencing system will be helpful in diverting the attention of the animal when they enter human habitations. The system has got a good response as animals are going back as it gets activated,” said Teja.
Valparai forest range officer G Venkatesh said estate workers who are the beneficiaries of the system are appreciating the initiative. These devices are interchangeable and can be moved to other strategic locations for effectively preventing animal intrusion into human habitations.
Manomboly forest range officer K Giritharan said, “As the elephant migration begins, We have started an awareness campaign among the tea estate workers about the dos and don’ts.
