Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu): Powered by artificial intelligence, Tamil Nadu may have finally found a way to deal with wild animals encroaching into nearby villages and endangering human lives.
Increased human-wildlife conflict has led to agricultural damage and loss of life in the foothills of the Western Ghats in the Coimbatore district. However, a recent initiative employing AI technology has shown promise in preventing these incursions.
The Kemmarampalayam panchayat administration near Karamadai town in the district has successfully utilised AI to deter wild elephants from entering nearby human settlements. The innovative approach involves the installation of a loudspeaker paired with a surveillance camera, which detects the entry of elephants into the vicinity. The system is equipped with an AI-powered camera containing a database of 25 lakh photos. When the surveillance camera captures the movement of wild animals within 500 meters, it transmits the images to the AI camera.
Upon receiving the images, the AI system identifies the presence of elephants or other wildlife and emits corresponding sounds through the loudspeaker. These sounds, including those of an ambulance siren, tribal people, and JCB operations, are designed to deter the animals without causing them distress.
The trial run of this AI project has yielded positive results, with villagers expressing satisfaction. The Kemmarampalayam panchayat council president said that the use of AI technology has effectively prevented elephants from entering the town. The officials plan to expand the implementation of this technology to encompass all areas of the panchayat.
Raghavendir, Chief Executive Officer of P Gent, the company behind the technology, said they have plans to utilise satellite mapping to continuously monitor the movement of wild animals.
They also aim to create low-cost AI technology to mitigate conflicts with other wild animals, such as wild boars, presenting a potential solution for farmers in the region. This technology is slated for expansion to other regions, including Coimbatore, and Vellore. There are plans for expanding the utilisation of this technology in nearby states like Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
Raghavendir highlighted the positive response received from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department in running the initiative. Coimbatore District Forest Officer Jayaraj said the trial run of the AI technology in Irularpatti village and Madukkarai forestry showed positive outcomes, prompting plans to extend the use of this technology to cover a distance of 10 kilometres in selected areas.
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