Latest news with #I.Anwardeen
Hans India
31-05-2025
- Hans India
TN Forest Dept deploys high-tech drones to boost wildlife monitoring and fire management
Chennai: In a major technological upgrade, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department is introducing advanced drones to strengthen its operations in wildlife monitoring, forest fire control, and anti-poaching efforts. The initiative, supported by the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project Climate Change Response (TBGPCCR), will see the deployment of these drones across 13 territorial forest circles in the state. I. Anwardeen, Chief Project Director of TBGPCCR, said the newly procured drones are equipped with cutting-edge features, including a 48-megapixel wide-angle camera, a thermal sensor with zoom capability, and GPS integration, making them highly effective for both daytime and night-time operations. One of the primary objectives of this drone deployment is the real-time tracking of elephants. By monitoring their movements, the drones can help alert nearby villages when elephants stray close to human settlements, reducing the risk of human-wildlife conflict. The GPS functionality enables precise and timely alerts, enhancing response time for forest officials. The drones will also be instrumental in tackling forest fires. Their thermal sensors can identify the origin of fires, determine the spread, and assess whether the affected areas are accessible to ground teams. Post-fire surveys conducted using aerial footage will provide critical insights into damage sustained by tree species, wildlife, and small mammals, aiding in effective restoration and rehabilitation strategies. Beyond surveillance, the drones support various add-ons such as searchlights, loudspeakers, and laser range finders—tools that significantly enhance their utility in complex terrains and emergency scenarios. These features allow forest teams to carry out diverse operations with greater efficiency and accuracy. 'These drones are transforming the way we work in the field. Tasks that would earlier take up to 20 days of manual labour can now be completed in just a few hours,' said Anwardeen. To ensure efficient use of the new technology, the department will train three staff members from each forest circle to operate the drones. This capacity-building initiative aims to develop a skilled in-house team of drone pilots across the state. Additionally, the department is planning to procure a separate class of drones dedicated to mapping forest terrains, studying ecological diversity, modelling topography, and analysing various forest types.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Forest Department moots profiling of wild elephants across Tamil Nadu
The Forest Department has launched efforts to expand profiling of wild elephants to all forest divisions with elephant presence, data of which will be used for mitigating negative interactions between humans and elephants in future. Profiling efforts had been done earlier in Gudalur and in Coimbatore Forest Division. Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation and Greening Project for Climate Change Response (TBGPCCR) on Thursday organised a training on elephant profiling for Department staff of the ranks between Watcher and Forest Range Officer from different divisions at the Tamil Nadu Forest Academy in association with Osai, an environmental organisation. Chief Project Director of TBGPCCR I. Anwardeen said the Department has already started uploading information on sightings of elephants on the website under Project Thadagam. Based on these data, an algorithm can predict possible locations of elephant movement. V. Thirunavukkarasu, Principal, Central Academy for State Forest Service, Coimbatore, observed that the human-elephant conflict situation intensified in the past 20 years. More scientific approach was needed to address the present situation. D. Venkatesh, Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of Anamalai Tiger Reserve, said that scientific profiling of elephants will help in ending the practice of giving random names to elephants.
