AI technology to alert 40 villages near forests about tiger, leopard movement

Notably, by April 15, the system will be installed in 40 sensitive villages across wildlife and territorial forest divisions.

The AI system is being developed by MARVEL, Maharashtra’s Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that contributes to expanding the use of AI technology across various state government departments.

Talking to The Indian Express, CEO of MARVEL and SP (Rural) Harssh Poddar said, “In Nagpur, the Forest Department is divided into two divisions – Nagpur Territorial and Nagpur Wildlife, which includes Pench and Umred-Karhandla. Across both these divisions, installations are being carried out in 40 villages.”

He added, “The cameras work using two types of technology. The first is bio-acoustics, which is sound-based detection. These cameras have the capacity to listen. When they detect alarm calls from prey species such as sambar, chital, langurs, or peacocks, the system identifies these signals. The AI then analyses the sound patterns and automatically triggers a siren in the village, while also sending alert messages.”

“The second is bio-visual detection, which is image-based. If the cameras capture images of wild animals – and they also have night-vision capability – the system immediately sends an alarm,” he said. Bio-acoustics is particularly important because tigers and leopards are extremely stealthy animals. In reality, it is unlikely that they will pass directly in front of a camera – perhaps in only one out of a hundred instances. More often, their presence has to be detected by listening to the alarm calls of prey animals, Poddar said.

“Before installing the cameras, we first consult the villagers to decide the best locations. Villagers usually have the most accurate knowledge of the routes from which wild animals enter their areas,” he said.

The first installation has taken place in Pipariya village, which is located just outside Pench, near Deolapar village. “We have already spoken with the Gram Panchayat there about how the system will function. As installations continue, each village will be briefed about how the technology works.”

The first level of consultation focuses on deciding where the cameras should be placed. The installations are expected to be completed by April, covering 20 villages in the Pench wildlife area and 20 villages in the Nagpur territorial division.

SP Poddar said that incidents in the past few years had led to law-and-order issues. As a solution, they began using AI technology.

With the help of the Forest Department, 40 locations identified as sensitive to wildlife attacks have been selected and cameras will be installed there on priority. The system has already become operational and, within the past four days, it has issued two alerts about the presence of tigers and leopards to forest officials and villagers.

The system is being implemented in areas including Khapa and Parseoni within both the wildlife division that includes the Pench Tiger Reserve and the territorial forest division.

There is also a proposal to install this system in the Navegaon–Nagzira Tiger Reserve and Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district. A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Forest Department and MARVEL for this project, said Nagpur Rural SP Harssh Poddar.