Coimbatore enhances technology to reduce human-elephant conflicts

The Coimbatore Forest Division is focusing on using technology to reduce conflicts between humans and elephants. This area has had many negative interactions between the two. To help prevent these incidents, the Forest Department has introduced new measures, including an artificial intelligence early warning system designed to alert workers about potential elephant train collisions. Three new towers have been set up in strategic locations equipped with thermal imaging and optical cameras. These cameras help monitor elephant movements near human settlements. The locations include the Maruthamalai foothills, the Ponnoothu Amman temple area, and the Madukkarai range. The Forest Department reports a decrease in conflicts since the technology was implemented. The towers use motion detection technology to spot animal movement, especially at night when thermal imaging is necessary. Staff receive alerts when elephants are detected. There are plans to enhance this system with AI capabilities to make it more effective. From 2011 to 2024, 185 people lost their lives in wild elephant encounters, while 207 elephants died largely due to human-related causes. Between 2021 and 2024, forest staff dealt with nearly 15,000 incidents of wild elephants entering human areas. The Forest Department is also using drones to track elephant movements. A new drone with a thermal camera is being procured to improve night-time monitoring. The Tamil Nadu Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Corporation is exploring ways to enhance the AI-based warning system in the area. Experts from the Asian Elephant Conservation Research and Conflict Management Centre are gathering data to devise innovative solutions for the conflict. The mapping of conflict zones in Coimbatore has already begun. The hilly terrain forces elephants to move through areas near villages, leading to crop damage and increased conflict.