AI Eyes End Human-Animal Conflict. Tech Scares Elephants Back Into Forests
Maduram, a senior citizen living closer to a forest area at Mettupalayam in Coimbatore sleeps peacefully at night now a days. Many in this area have been killed or injured by wild animals in the past, including elephants and wild boars entering human inhabitations. Cultivations have been destroyed as well. However, artificial intelligence based cameras installed along the village borders have now given them peace. The system raises alarm and chases the approaching wild animals back into the forest. Maduram told tellmystory.in “Earlier we were in fear at night not knowing when elephants would come and harm. We used to light torch to see. Now the siren sounds”.
Selvi Nirmala, a local body leader added “People are so safe now. The alert sound immediately alerts them and stay safe. Earlier at night there jey wouldn’t know where the elephant is and we’re attacked”.Â
The AI based technology was developed by a Vellore based start-up BGENT co-founded by PG Ragavandir and V Ganapathy. Its algorithm identifies the kind of animal attempting to intrude and triggers a set of customised sounds that would scare them to retreat. “Based on the movement and other factors the system identifies what animal is it – elephant, wild boar, leopard or birds and activates a series of customised sounds and a frequency which would scare the animal and make it return”.
The system also instantly sends mobile message alerts with images and map location of animal sightings to local communities and forest authorities to exercise caution and to intervene. Developers say this system could provide valuable data to authorities to identify causes and fix them to check human – animal conflicts. “This data helps forest officials to identify the reason why animals enter villages in one particular area and helps them to fix it. For example if animals intrude due to lack of water or food, they can create water sources or food sources in that forest area to check this”.
While human encroachment in forest areas is often the root cause, around 1500 people have been killed in human animal conflicts across India over the last few years. Now these AI eyes many believe could effectively check this. Priced around a lakh and eighty thousand rupees, Ragavandir has deployed many of these to win public confidence. He’s also working with the state government and forest authorities.
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