In an era where technology and nature intersect to create sustainable solutions, India has taken a significant leap forward with the introduction of its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) based wildlife monitoring system in the Mankulam forest division, Kerala. This pioneering initiative not only marks a milestone in wildlife conservation efforts in India but also sets a precedent for the integration of advanced technology in environmental preservation worldwide.

In the Mankulam forest, AI technology is not only avoiding man-animal conflict and saving lives but also revolutionizing biodiversity conservation. It was India’s first AI-enabled surveillance camera system to monitor the presence of wild animals near human settlements. It has also developed an AI-based app for faunal surveys, which works very accurately. 

By deploying smart cameras and sensors throughout the forest, AI algorithms analyze vast amounts of data in real time, tracking wildlife movements, identifying poaching activities, and monitoring health indicators of the ecosystem. This advanced surveillance not only aids in the protection of species but also provides critical insights for habitat preservation, enabling targeted conservation strategies that ensure the forest’s rich biodiversity thrives for generations to come.

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Indian Masterminds interacted with Subhash KB, 2015 batch Kerala Forest Services Officer and Assistant Conservator of Forests, who played an important role in this initiative, to learn more about it. 

AI-BASED MONITORING SYSTEM 

The forest department started to work on this AI-enabled surveillance camera system in November 2022. It was India’s first Artificial Intelligence based wildlife-monitoring system.

It was developed under the leadership of Dr. S. Santhosh Kumar, HOD, ECE Dept. It is a joint venture by the Kerala Forest Wildlife Department Mankulam division, the Department of Electronics and Communication of Government Engineering College Idukki, and the GoI GEF UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) India Heritage Mountain Landscape Project.

The system aims to provide real-time warning of wild animal presence to reduce the man-animal conflict on forest borders. The alerts will be shared with selected devices within 30 seconds to one minute. The system consists of an infrared camera, power source, Internet, and AI-based equipment. Animals such as wild elephants, bison, tigers, leopards, and wild boars are included in the system.

Mr. Subhash said, “We installed an artificial intelligence camera system to warn the local people about the presence of dangerous animals like elephants and wild Gaur. It basically consists of a small camera of below Rs 5,000, a microcomputer Jetson Nano with software to identify the species, and a mobile SIM-based WiFi router to give instant pictorial messages to local people through a telegram group.” 

HOW IT WORKS

Although the SIM-based system has a restricted mobile range, it is particularly helpful in isolated places. They even attempted to reach a location devoid of mobile range connectivity. It involves putting in optical fiber cable and using it to connect the tribal hamlet to the internet.

Whenever a dangerous animal is spotted by the camera, an instant pictorial message will be sent to the Telegram group.

This warning will alert people to avoid encounters between humans and animals and also prepare them to deter elephants and gaurs that may destroy their crops, using crackers and other means. 

The people can also view the camera area at any time where the animal usually crosses by simply sending a password message to the Telegram bot created for this purpose. 

He said, “Additionally, we have begun connecting the system to LED warning boards on the roadside and alarm bells in tribal hamlets. This work is currently in progress.” 

THE FAUNAL SURVEY

The Kerala Forest Department has also initiated the deployment of innovative systems for biodiversity data collection in the Mankulam forest division. These systems include an AI-based application for identifying butterfly species and an AI-enabled surveillance camera system. 

It has developed an AI-powered app for wildlife surveys in Mankulam, specifically designed for identifying butterfly species with remarkable accuracy. This innovation has documented 180 species of butterflies, along with 54 types of odonates, 25 varieties of ants, and 4 cicada species

This advanced AI tool simplifies the process of recognizing butterfly species accurately by utilizing an extensive database of images.

The preliminary version of the app includes images of 265 butterfly species previously observed in the reserve forests. The application’s comprehensive collection of high-quality images from multiple perspectives aids in precise identification, offering recommendations for distinguishing between similar-looking species with distinct features.

Mr. Subhash said, “The live images from the spot will be made available to tourists through a Telegram channel named ‘Anakkulam Elephant Oru’. An expert team from the college has helped set up an AI camera near the water hole at Anakkulam, which will provide images around the clock. To get them, users may type ‘Nowa’ and send it to the Telegram channel.”

“The faunal survey is part of a series that is planned to map the diversity of the Mankulam reserve. It will pave the way for creating an AI-based application that can efficiently identify fauna,” he added.

MORE TOURISTS

Numerous tourists flock to the area to observe wild elephants up close, without any fear. They often ask about the best times to see the elephants at the waterhole, and the newly implemented system simplifies this process.

“Elephant herds spend at least five hours by the river here. With this knowledge, tourists can conveniently travel from Mankulam to Anakkulam,” he further stated.

The Mankulam forest division, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the Western Ghats of the State, has seen Anakkulam rise as a prominent tourist attraction in the region.