TN to deploy AI cameras in Valparai to curb human-wildlife conflict
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Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is planning to install Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled cameras in Valparai to reduce human-wildlife conflict in the ecologically sensitive region.
The initiative is aimed at using technology to track animal movement and send timely alerts to residents.
“We are exploring the use of AI systems to monitor leopards, sloth bears, and wild elephants. Whenever there is an intrusion, the system will generate a species-specific alert to warn the public and prevent potential conflict. A detailed study is being carried out to identify locations where cameras need to be fixed, the manpower required, and the infrastructure needed,” said M. Suresh Krishnan, Forest Range Officer, Valparai Range.
The findings will form the basis of a proposal to the state government along with financial estimates.
Officials say similar technology has already proved effective in Coimbatore, where an AI-based monitoring system along railway tracks in Madukkarai has helped reduce elephant deaths caused by speeding trains.
Encouraged by the results, the department now plans to expand the use of technology in Valparai, where conflicts with wildlife remain frequent.
Earlier measures included the setting up of “virtual fencing” in vulnerable areas. Under the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives (TANII) scheme, 1,300 solar-powered smart fences with thermal sensors were installed, 700 in Valparai and 600 in the Manomboly Range.
The ten-foot-high fences can detect animal movement within 100 feet and, once triggered, activate sirens and flashing lights to drive animals away while alerting residents.
“Residents remain vigilant when the alarms go off, especially during night hours, which has greatly reduced accidental encounters,” a forest department staff member said.
But recent fatal attacks on children outside the fenced zones have highlighted the system’s limitations. Two children of migrant tea workers were killed in separate incidents by a leopard and a sloth bear.
Officials believe AI-enabled cameras could bridge this gap by providing wider surveillance and real-time alerts, strengthening existing safety measures. The project is expected to play a crucial role in promoting safer coexistence between communities and wildlife in Valparai.