Unsustainable development including railway tracks and roads that cut through core habitats are a major cause of elephant deaths. Every year 2-3 elephants die in train collisions. Speed restrictions are enforced inside protected areas but not outside where most accidents occur. We are piloting an early warning system to alert train drivers of elephant presence, with enough time for the speeding train to stop. The sirens will also warn elephants about the trains, preventing them from crossing.
Updates
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 and July 2023, EleSense has potentially saved more than 160 elephants.
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161 detections of elephants near railway tracks, potentially averting 161 accidents between January and July 2023. The signal transmitted by EleSense allowed enough time to inform elephant presence near railway tracks to the station masters, who relayed the message to the train pilots just in time to prevent a tragedy.
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The module transmits information to the railway control room via SMS module from all the installed locations.
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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.
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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 will soon be launching our second phase of the EleSense project. Thanks to our grassroots partner, Nature Mates India and our technical experts at SNAP Foundation. And most importantly, thanks to our generous donors for their generosity to save our precious elephants.
