The Problem:
Unsustainable development including railway tracks and roads that cut through core habitats are a major cause of elephant deaths. Every year 50-75 elephants die in train collisions across India. Speed restrictions are enforced inside protected areas but not outside where most accidents occur. VFAE is collaborating with SNAP Foundation and Nature Mates, piloting an early warning system to alert train drivers of elephant presence, with enough time for the speeding train to stop. The sirens also warn elephants about the trains, preventing them from crossing.
After the outstanding success of our Phase-1, VFAE is now getting ready for Phases 2 and 3 – installing 30 devices inside the Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary and Buxa Tiger Reserve.
The latest results of the EleSense device, aimed at preventing elephant deaths on the deadly Indian Railway. Our first key finding is, the sensor can detect elephants with a 100% accuracy. Between January 2023 and November 2024, EleSense has potentially averted more than 1300 train collisions with elephants.
1339 detections of elephants near railway tracks, potentially averting as many accidents between January 2023 and November 2024. EleSense is programmed to detect height, temperature, movement, and pattern, transmitting accurate signals after identifying elephants. This allows enough time to inform elephant presence near railway tracks to the station masters, who relay the message to the train pilots just in time to prevent a tragedy.
The module transmits information to the railway control room via SMS module from all the installed locations.
In collaboration with our grassroots partner, Nature Mates India in West Bengal, and our technology expert, SNAP Foundation we installed around 40 devices in our 1st phase.
At a joint workshop presided by our Founder, Sangita Iyer, stakeholders, including Railway, Forest Ministries, Tea-Estate Association, Police Dept., Media, and local NGOs, were appraised on how EleSense functions, while discussing the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders.
We are deeply grateful to our heart-centered donors for believing in our mission, and their immense generosity to help us protect our precious elephants. Thanks also to our grassroots partner, Nature Mates India and our technical experts at SNAP Foundation.
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