Overview
- A Tadoba-Andhari pilot has used 76 AI cameras in 16 buffer villages since March 2023 to generate 9,267 wildlife alerts and reduce human deaths from eight to one.
- A July 2025 MoU between the Maharashtra Forest Department and MARVEL will expand the network to 3,150 cameras around Pench, Tadoba-Andhari, Navegaon-Nagzira and Nagpur forest areas.
- The system uses high-resolution visual, thermal and acoustic sensors to identify tigers, leopards and sloth bears through direct sightings or herbivore alarm calls.
- Alerts are sent in seconds through a dedicated app, SMS, Telegram and village sirens to notify authorities and residents of approaching wildlife.
- On-track installation is slated for completion by December 2025 and will be followed by training programs and planned integration of drone surveillance and advanced analytics.