https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Camera Traps: A Key Conduit To Wildlife Conservation

Camera traps have revolutionised wildlife conservation. They help collect photographic evidence necessary for species conservation and analysis. IFS SP Yadav shares details about the art of camera trapping
Indian Masterminds Stories

Camera trapping is the method that comes to mind when discussing estimating wild animal densities or identifying specific animals from a population of a species that has body patterns unique to each individual (for example, tiger, leopard, hyena, snow leopard, clouded leopard, or other striped or spotted small cats).

Apart from being more reliable than others, it also has the advantage of being adopted across large expanses.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) used camera traps to examine an impressively large forest area of approximately 6,41,449 sqkm scattered over 20 Indian states in its 2022 All India Tiger Census.

Senior IFS officer SP Yadav, Member Secretary, NTCA, exclusively spoke to Indian Masterminds and explained more about the art of camera trapping when wildlife conservation is involved.

CAMERA TRAPS

An infrared beam (invisible to animals) is placed at a height of about 45 cm, and cameras are mounted on posts like tree trunks or wooden poles around 3.5 – 4 m on either side of a probable animal route.

As tigers, leopards, and hyenas mark their territories camera traps are strategically placed along these routes to maximise photo capture.

Scats, scratches, footprints, claw markings, and smell deposits are used to determine camera trap positions. When an animal breaks the infrared beam, the circuit activates the camera and takes a photo.

“As a part of the All-India Tiger Estimation, the entire potential tiger habitat is divided into 2 sqkm grids. A pair of camera traps, opposite to each other, are installed in each grid, based on carnivore sign survey and in this way, the photograph of tigers are recorded from both flanks,” shared the officer.

INSTALLATION PROCESS

Cameras are installed in the forest by trained Wildlife Biologists or Forest Guards. They move in groups so that their noises keep the predator at bay and prevent attacks. Direct encounters are uncommon.

“The group is also equipped with firearms and if the need be they scare away the tigers by firing in the air,” Mr. Yadav told Indian Masterminds.

RETRIEVING EVIDENCE

The camera traps have memory sticks that are recovered weekly, depending on their capacity. The collected images are transferred and saved to the desktop for further analysis. Advanced camera traps that enable real-time monitoring are also available, however, due to power consumption, such cameras are unsuitable for large-scale surveillance.

“There are other technologies available for monitoring animals on a real-time basis like e-Surveillance,” he stated.

AVOIDING DUPLICATION

Because the pattern on both sides of the body changes, a system of two cameras, one on each side of the path, aids in distinguishing every individual. The date, time, and location of each photographic capture are recorded. 

Animals are identified from images by analysing stripe or spot patterns. Shapes, unique individual stripes, and the placements of numerous such stripes on individuals are compared to indisputably identify them.

USING AI

NTCA employs artificial intelligence to separate tiger photographs.

“Like our fingerprints, the stripe patterns on tigers are permanent and do not change with age. They are unique. Based on AI and other softwares & visual observations/comparisons, a unique number of tigers are identified,” he told Indian Masterminds.

Furthermore, using statistical models, tiger numbers are extrapolated from sampled areas to similar habitats based on “mark, capture, and recapture” analyses and herbivore sign survey results. The technique takes habitat quality into account, Mr. Yadav explains. 

The tiger counting methodology, which is based on two-fold sampling and the use of camera traps in statistical models, has been peer-reviewed and is worldwide acknowledged.

“Several softwares like Distance, Extract&Compare, AI etc. are used in the analysis,” he added.

Camera trapping operations almost always yield extremely valuable information regarding the presence and ecological function of other lesser-known, elusive species besides monitoring human activities such as poacher movement, firewood collection, and animal grazing. The Forest Department has made multiple arrests using this information.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
SJVN
Leadership Continuity: Rajendra Prasad Goyal Given Additional Charge as Director (Finance) of SJVN Ltd- Know more about Him
government-of-haryana
Haryana Government Transfers 2 IPS, 13 HPS Officers in Major Police Reshuffle- Check Details
scam
‘Hello, This is IPS Officer Speaking…’: 9th-Pass Youth Tricks Cops in Three States with Fake Voice Scam
Screenshot 2025-07-18 214334
L&T Chairman Mr. S.N. Subrahmanyan’s FY25 Remuneration Jumps Nearly 50% to Rs. 76.25 Crore!
bureaucracy news
Appointments Update: IRS Kommisetty Murlidhar to Join Andhra Govt; Jay Nath Yadav Inducted into IAS
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB)
Indian Overseas Bank Plans Rs. 4,000 Crore Fundraising via QIP; Net Profit Soars 76% in Q1 FY26
Paresh Saxena IPS
IPS Officer Dr Paresh Saxena Protests Empanelment Denial, Returns President’s Distinguished Service Medal
Screenshot 2025-07-18 212145
Chhattisgarh: CM Vishnu Deo Sai Unveils ‘Anjor Vision @ 2047’ - A Bold Roadmap for a Developed Future!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
promila gupta
The Secret of The Secret – How To Make The Universe Conspire For You
AI 171 CRASH
AAIB Initial Probe In AI-171 Crash Questioned By Aviation Experts
Ravi Kapoor
Why Ex-IRS Officer Ravi Kapoor Walked Away from Power
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Bhavesh Royada
“People often don’t put in the effort required for exams of this level,” Bhavesh Royada
Bhavesh Royada left a stable engineering job to follow his passion for nature. Overcoming failures and...
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-14 at 15.58
The Economist Who Became an IFS Officer
How Abhimanyu Gahlaut balanced global economics and civil services dreams to crack UPSC with AIR 38
Disha Dwivedi UPSC
How Disha Dwivedi Cracked UPSC in Her Sixth Attempt with Unshakable Determination
Disha Dwivedi’s UPSC journey from five prelims failures to securing AIR 672 in 2024 showcases strategic...
Social Media
Screenshot 2025-07-18 203508
Majestic Tiger Rescue and Release in Sundarbans Captivates the Internet: IFS Susanta Nanda Shares Video On X
The video captures the tiger’s strength, agility, and instinct—a breathtaking sight as the big cat slices...
Standing Leopard
Leopard Stuns Internet by Standing on Two Legs Like a Meerkat
A rare video of a leopard standing on two legs in Kruger Park stuns viewers and goes viral across social...
G S Roshni
Kerala’s Fearless Forest Officer G.S. Roshni Rescues 16-Foot King Cobra with Bare Hands, Garners Praise & Critique
Beat Forest Officer G.S. Roshni’s first-ever king cobra rescue goes viral, earning her the title of ‘Green...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
SJVN
Leadership Continuity: Rajendra Prasad Goyal Given Additional Charge as Director (Finance) of SJVN Ltd- Know more about Him
government-of-haryana
Haryana Government Transfers 2 IPS, 13 HPS Officers in Major Police Reshuffle- Check Details
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
promila gupta
AI 171 CRASH
Ravi Kapoor
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT