The Bengal tiger is one of the most prominent creatures of Indian jungles, which are highly prone to poaching, hunting, and other unauthorized and illegal human activities. Therefore, the presence of Tiger Monitoring Technology in India is essential to help the government and relevant authorities ensure their safe existence, away from any unwarranted human contact.
Modern tiger tracking technology aspects involve leveraging camera traps, GPS Collars, Drones, Satellite imagery, mobile apps, and much more to ensure the safe existence of the endangered Bengal tiger species. With AI also being around the corner, the level of complexity has increased when it comes to accurate and precision-driven tiger monitoring.
I have been to many tiger reserves in India and have seen numerous ways in which authorities have implemented technologies for tiger movement tracking. What I have observed is that these technology implementations not only help them and forest officials with data-driven wildlife conservation but also enable them to formulate precise strategies to tackle any unforeseen situations with ease.
In this blog, I am going to shed some light on how tigers are tracked in India and what enables forest authorities and the government of our country to ensure the endangered tiger population stays safe from external threats and dangers.
( Tiger Monitoring in India )
Table of Contents
Mainstream Tiger Monitoring Technology in India
In India, tiger habitat monitoring is primarily done through 6 key methodologies. Those are:
- Using Camera Traps.
- Leveraging GPS collar tracking to track precise tiger location.
- Satellite Tracking
- Monitoring via drones
- Leveraging mobile apps.
- AI in Tiger Tracking
Let’s explore each of these one by one.
Camera Trap Technology
Camera traps are a majorly used tiger conservation technology that forest officials, relevant authorities, and wildlife conservationists actively rely on to monitor the tiger movement across National Parks and surrounding areas in India. It plays a very crucial role in protecting the Bengal Tiger population because their strategic placement across the park area ensures proper photo and video footage capturing throughout the day as they move from one location to another.
The designated personnel then use these digital assets collected from Camera traps to identify the tiger distribution across the region. It also helps wildlife researchers in India get a proper understanding of tiger behaviour and what type of environmental needs are mandatorily required for their smooth and seamless survival. They can collect the relevant data without causing any disturbance to the tigers, and they can roam around naturally without any external interference.
Not only that, camera traps are extremely useful when it comes to identifying poachers, as it continues to be a serious threat in India for the endangered tiger population. It helps in identifying the poacher, and immediate arrests can be made by authorities once sufficient evidence is obtained.
So, it’s a highly useful method of tiger monitoring and facilitating wildlife conservation in India that is extremely useful for the overall tiger ecosystem of our country. It also helps wildlife conservationists and researchers identify any potential threats to the Bengal Tiger habitat and develop strategies to combat survival vulnerabilities.
GPS Collar Tracking
Installing GPS collars on the neck of Bengal Tigers is another way how India monitors its tiger population. These GPS collars are usually invaluable in tracking tigers across the National Parks, and leverage the GPS technology for real-time tiger tracking. Researchers and wildlife conservationists collect data. This data helps them understand tiger movement, needs, and behavior. They develop and implement new protection strategies.
GPS is a modern and reliable tiger conservation technology that can function precisely over large distances. This allows wildlife researchers to track tiger movement even if the tiger roams far off. An additional advantage of GPS trackers on tigers is that they track their fitness levels and determine their health status in real time. All of this is crucial in ensuring the tiger stays healthy and thrives in the jungle ecosystem.
Last but not least, GPS tracking helps in avoiding tiger-human contact and conflict. Researchers pinpoint regions where tigers actively navigate. They use this information to create new pathways. These allow safe movement for both tigers and humans.
Wildlife Tracking via Satellite
Leveraging satellite imagery is another significant method used for tiger conservation in India through precision and real-time tracking. It provides real-time and accurate information to authorities and conservationists to better understand the tiger habitat and movement across the National Park. It also gives an ample amount of information that helps to better understand tiger behaviour and new conservation measures to implement.
Moreover, relevant authorities access real-time insights into terrain changes via high-resolution satellite imagery. This reveals tiger movements, newborn cubs, and new shelters. All of this information is prominent in guiding wildlife conservation efforts by providing precise insights into the safety of tigers and their long term survival in the National Park.
Not only that, but satellite tracking also helps relevant authorities in identifying poaching activities to safeguard tigers from human threats and ensure their safe existence.
Wildlife Monitoring using Drone
Tiger tracking via drones has proven to be highly effective in leading wildlife conservation in India across all major national parks with high tiger population and densities.
UAVs cover large land expanses. They provide authorities, conservationists, and researchers with crucial data on tiger movement, health, and safety. Drones capture tiger photos from afar. Doctors use these photos to study and identify health concerns.
A drone is an extremely reliable and precision-driven tiger monitoring technology in India. Designated personnel identify sensitive zones across National Parks. They use this information to build tiger conservation strategies and deploy habitat maintenance measures.
Drones monitor and track poaching activity extensively. Teams monitor endangered tigers with limited populations from the skies. This prevents poachers from attacking and harming them.
Mobile Apps Made Specifically for Tiger Tracking
The forest department monitoring the Bengal Tigers in India leverages many mobile apps authorized by the government, which the general public also has access to.
All of these apps help people like you and me share any photos and videos of tigers that have been captured with the designated authorities so that they can use them for numerous purposes, like:
- Tiger population consensus.
- Donate towards tiger conservation efforts.
- Stimulating public engagement towards tiger safety.
- Report any activities related to poaching, encroachment, and deforestation.
- Create awareness regarding tiger conservation in India.
AI-Based Tiger Tracking Technology
One of the leading and emerging technologies that is becoming mainstream across India is the integration of artificial intelligence in conservation of tigers.
Here are the top three ways experts implement AI to ensure Bengal Tigers’ safe and healthy existence:
- AI Camera Traps are how India monitors its tiger population today, with the emergence of artificial Intelligence. Moreover, AI camera traps transmit images seamlessly to rangers. Rangers alert nearby villagers during unwarranted tiger movements. Hence, this protects humans, livestock, and tigers. Furthermore, the traps also capture poaching activity precisely through live feeds.
- Population Monitoring by analyzing a vast amount of image and video footage using AI. Also, sending that data for inclusion in national tiger surveys and consensus. This is another way how tigers are tracked in India using AI to the maximum extent.
- Building anti-poaching systems using AI that rely on real-time drone feeds to find poachers with precision and effectiveness. The drone cameras detect movement anomalies over large areas and leverage advanced AI models to maximize the protection of tiger habitats from poachers and unauthorized activities.
AI is proving to be a highly effective tiger monitoring technology in India in recent times. Also, it’s fully utilized by government authorities to ensure the safety and security of Bengal Tigers in India.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to track tigers in India?
India tracks tigers through multiple avenues, including camera traps, GPS collars, satellite imagery, drones, and government-authorized mobile apps.
What are the main threats to a tiger?
Poaching, hunting, deforestation, and human-tiger conflict are major threats to tiger survival in India.
Is AI a prominent tiger monitoring technology in India?
Yes, conservationists majorly use AI in Indian tiger efforts. Moreover, they monitor tigers precisely, ensure they are healthy and safe, and track their population in real time. Also, that too with advanced AI models.
What is Project Tiger?
The government launched Project Tiger to protect Indian National Parks. Also, to ensure Bengal Tigers’ safe survival across the east, west, north, south, and central regions.
Which national park leads wildlife conservation in India?
Jim Corbett National Park is the biggest and oldest Tiger Reserve of India. It leads the wildlife conservation movement of our country.
