
COIMBATORE: After the successful functioning of artificial intelligence (AI)-based cameras to detect wild animal movement, especially elephants, at the Madukkarai forest range, Coimbatore forest division officials have been planning to set up similar cameras in forest boundaries in other ranges.
The officials have decided to procure six such cameras under the corporation responsibility fund (CRF) at a cost of Rs 15.5 crore and have been hoping that they will be detect wild elephants even before they enter human habitations and divert them inside the forest.
A senior official from the Coimbatore forest division, said, “Earlier, we focused on railway tracks present at Madukkarai forest range as part of preventing elephant deaths and now we have decided to concentrate on forest boundaries in other forest ranges. We have also identified two to three hotspots in the conflict-prone forest ranges such as Coimbatore, Periyanacikenpalayam, and Mettupalayam. Once the cameras are fixed, its sensor will detect elephant movement within 300 to 400-metre distance and send a text message to the concerned forest guard, forester, and forest range office.”
The official also added that the cameras fixed at boundaries are not similar to the ones fixed along the railway track in Madukkarai since there will be a slight difference in the resolution of the cameras. However, it would detect the animal movement exactly and help us to mitigate the conflict since the next four to five months are crucial for elephant movement.
“There is a high chance of more animal movement in the upcoming months as this is migration season, and also summer is approaching. The animal will come out of the forest in search of food and water despite us filling the water troughs set up inside and along the forest boundaries. We have been experiencing negative human-elephant interactions as elephants are attracted to banana and coconut plantations,” the official further said.