TN to soon finalise AI-based solution to prevent death of elephants

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu forest department will be finalising Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions to prevent elephants death by the end of this month. The department has already floated tenders from prospective companies to provide AI-based solutions to prevent elephants death in forest areas.

Sources in the state forest department told IANS that the department has already received 23 tenders and is in the process of finalising the shortlisting them.

Speeding trains had hit elephants in the Madukkarai forest range in Walayar leading to the death of several wild tuskers. Three Female elephants lost their lives after being hit by a speeding Mangalore- Chennai express train on November 26, 2021. This had led to a major confrontation between the Southern Railway and Tamil Nadu forest department with the latter even manhandling railway employees.

An RTI inquiry has revealed that 8 elephants were killed since 2010 after being hit by speeding trains. The top brasses of the forest department of Tamil Nadu and Southern Railway had met several times and in the brainstorming sessions, it was decided that Artificial Intelligence could be deployed to prevent elephants being hit by speeding trains.

Tamil Nadu forest department Secretary Supriya Sahu while interacting with media persons on the sidelines of Wildlife week celebrations said that the state forest department would rely more on technology for conservation efforts.

The Tamil Nadu forest department is also in the process of setting up digital archives and digital data centres so that information will be at fingertips.