At the Eco Warrior Awards 2026 Conclave, experts discussed how AI, drones, sensors and digital monitoring are changing wildlife conservation — while stressing that technology works best when backed by field experience.
From VHF Collars to Satellite Tracking
Can artificial intelligence and emerging technologies change the way India monitors its forests and wildlife?
This question took centre stage at the Eco Warrior Awards 2026 Conclave during a panel discussion on “AI & Tech for Conservation & Natural Resources Management.” The session featured Mr. Sumit Sabharwal, Mr. N. Jayaraj, Dr. Gopala Areendran and Dr. Bilal Habib, with Ajay Suri as moderator.
The discussion showed how rapidly wildlife monitoring has evolved. Mr. N. Jayaraj explained how radio collars have moved from VHF-based systems, which required forest personnel to physically track animals, to satellite GPS-based collars that significantly reduce the effort involved.
But the change in technology has not changed one fundamental requirement — people who understand the forest.
When Technology Meets Field Knowledge
Jayaraj highlighted the tracking operation involving T23 in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, where traditional tracking skills remained crucial even as drones equipped with thermal cameras supported the search.
He also pointed to the limitations of automated monitoring. Camera-based systems, for instance, depend on knowing where animals are most likely to move. In one area near railway tracks, around 300 hectares of Prosopis weeds were removed because the vegetation was causing cameras to mistake plants and trees for elephants.
The example underlined an important point: sophisticated technology still needs someone who understands the landscape well enough to use it correctly.
AI Can Find Patterns Humans May Miss
Dr. Bilal Habib focused on another major advantage of AI — its ability to process large volumes of data and identify patterns.
He cited an analysis of 45 years of elephant conflict data from Assam, which showed a concentration of human deaths on Saturdays and Sundays. Such patterns can help forest departments identify periods of higher risk and plan interventions accordingly.
He also spoke about M-STrIPES, an app-based monitoring system that enables forest personnel to record patrols, animal signs, human activity and possible poaching incidents. The resulting digital data can then be analysed to support conservation and management decisions.
But data, as the discussion made clear, is only useful when interpreted within the realities of the field.
Building Technology for the People on the Ground
Mr. Sumit Sabharwal spoke about the need to develop technology specifically for India’s forests and the people working in them.
He highlighted Vanraksha, a Made-in-India brand launched in 2023, which emerged from the need to support and acknowledge frontline forest personnel through technology.
The conversation also traced the evolution of tools such as camera traps in tiger monitoring, with Sabharwal emphasising the role of conservation experts and field practitioners in driving technological adoption.
Beyond Detection: The Next Conservation Challenge
Technology is also increasingly being deployed beyond forests.
The panel discussed railway monitoring systems using cameras and DASH (Distributed Diagnostic Sensor) technology to detect animals or vibrations near railway tracks and alert loco pilots and forest teams.
While technology has contributed to reducing elephant deaths from train collisions, the panel noted that electrocution has emerged as another major challenge, highlighting how conservation problems continue to evolve even as monitoring systems become more sophisticated.
The larger takeaway from the discussion was not that AI will replace conventional conservation methods, but that it can make them more efficient.
Cameras can detect movement. Sensors can generate alerts. GPS collars can track animals. AI can identify patterns across years of data.
But it takes a person on the ground to understand what those signals mean, respond to changing animal behaviour and make decisions in real time.
The future of conservation may be increasingly powered by technology, but the people working in the forest will remain at its centre.
