Since 2012, August 12 has been celebrated as ‘World Elephant Day’ as a step to call attention to the conservation of the largest animal in the world. The issues faced by Indian and African elephants range from poaching, habitat loss and human-elephant convicts. This has even led to their extinction in some regions. 

India is home to the largest number of Asiatic elephants accounting for nearly 60% of the jumbo population. However, even after being the home to over 32 elephant reserves, the population of the animal in India is declining, and human activities are blamed for it. 

 Train hits are the second biggest cause of unnatural elephant deaths in India after electrocution. According to India Times, while 741 elephants were killed after coming into touch with live wires, 186 jumbos lost their lives on railway tracks. 

IANS stated that to conserve wild elephants, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is now seeking the help of AI. Tamil Nadu, which has one of the highest elephant populations in India, has seen several deaths of the animal on railway tracks.  

Earlier this year, the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal directed the Southern Railway and the Forest Departments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to explore the possibility of using an AI system to prevent the deaths of wild animals on railway tracks. 

Reducing elephant deaths 

The Forest Department will install two railway lines to pass through the Madukkarai forest range between Madukkarai and Walayar, where train hits have killed 11 elephants since 2008. 

The new alert system divides frequent elephant crossing points into three zones. The 50 m area from the centre to the track will be a red zone, the next 50 m orange zone and a further 50 m yellow zone.  

All the sensor towers and console rooms will be installed with an accosted (hooter) and luminous alerts. For example, if an elephant enters the yellow zone, the console room will be alerted, and the message will be passed to the forest watchers. Likewise, forest guards, forest officers and railway station masters will be made aware when an elephant crosses the orange zone. 

If the animal enters the red zone, the alerts will be sent to the district forest officials and divisional engineers of railways, who will intimate the loco pilot. In addition, the loco pilot will share details of the elephants and their distance from the track in advance. 

Recommendations to reduce elephant deaths 

Earlier in March, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav told the parliament that between 2018 and 2021, 35 elephants were killed across the country on railway tracks. In December 2021, the ministry said that 186 elephants were hit by trains and killed in India between 2009-21. 

This year, the “permanent” coordination committee recommended several measures, including making permanent and temporary speed restrictions in identified elephant corridors and habitats. They also suggested the construction of underpasses and ramps, fencing, erecting signages to warn train drivers, and sensitizing train crew and station masters to avoid collisions.  

Suggestions were also proposed for deputing Forest Department staff in railway control offices to liaison with railway authorities, engaging elephant trackers by the forest departments for times action by alerting station masters and engine drivers, as well as coordinating meetings between state forest departments and railways departments. 

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Source: India Times