COIMBATORE: Even as another wild elephant was run over by a train at Walayar in the neighbouring state of Kerala on Wednesday, a few kilometres away in Madukkarai in Tamil Nadu, an AI-based early warning system continues to ensure safe crossings for elephants, with nearly 7,000 safe crossings recorded so far.
The AI-based early warning system, implemented along a seven-kilometre stretch within the Madukkarai forest range, enables the timely detection of elephants, allowing trains to slow down and preventing elephant deaths, in stark contrast to the recurring elephant deaths in train-hitting incidents reported from nearby Palakkad.
It is worth noting that train hits have claimed the lives of several elephants along the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border over the last few years.
However, since the implementation of the technology-driven system in November 2023, there has been no elephant fatality on this stretch. “Nearly 7,000 safe elephant crossings have been recorded so far. Even though the AI system is primarily meant for elephants, other animals like leopard, wild boar, deer and Indian Gaur have also made safe crossings by this way,” said R Arun Kumar, Forest Range Officer, Madukkarai Range of Coimbatore Forest Department.
The thermal image sensing cameras—five on track ‘A’ and seven on track ‘B’—detect elephant intrusions and send alerts to the forest department along the vulnerable seven-kilometre stretch in Madukkarai. From the control room, manned by forest department staff, messages are relayed to frontline staff as well as the Railways. A team of 25 watchers, who patrol the tracks especially during night hours, immediately take steps to drive away the elephants.
On multiple occasions, the forest department staff have ensured the safe passage of elephants by signalling the loco pilot to either slow down or halt the trains for a while. “Trains were stopped in at least four or five instances during emergencies, when elephants were spotted on the track at night,” said a staff member of the forest department.
In addition to the AI-enabled technology, six underpasses along the vulnerable ‘B’ track have also helped animals cross safely. “Following the erection of a rail fence along the tracks by railways, elephants have begun using these underpasses to cross the tracks to reach either side of the forest.
The railway fence works have been completed along a three-kilometre stretch on the B track, and a fence for another four-kilometre stretch has been proposed,” noted another official of the forest department.
Palakkad: A wild elephant was found dead on a railway track near the Walayar area, located between Palakkad and Coimbatore, in the early hours of Wednesday, forest officials said.
They said the young adult male elephant died after being hit by a train. Upon learning of the incident, the forest and railway officials reached the spot and conducted an inspection. After the incident, trains are operating at limited speeds through this forested area, and officials are investigating further how the incident occurred.