Zeitschrift für Biodiversität und gefährdete Arten

Automated Virtual Elephant Fence Based on Detection, Alarming and Coordinated Repulsion of Wild Elephants

Abstract

Udaya Dampage

Within the backdrop of almost total failure of the conventional and physical fence with the number of deaths due to humanelephant conflict and elephant-train collision are of at a higher it is well clear that the belief that it is a myth that management of the problem needs novel approaches. The elephant is a giant and intelligent animal, who is observed to be learned through experience may not be confined to an area using a physical barrier, mostly built even not considering the age-old elephant passes. Hence the human habitats including highways should be pre-planned as per an overall strategy so that natural resources strategically assigned for each party so that the natural habitat is least disturbed. Hence envisage the requirement of a virtual elephant fence as a part of the aforesaid carefully designed overall strategy to make the elephant be warned that an area is not appropriate to be or best for the safety of the herd. The present study involved indepth experimentation of intra-stimuli on real elephants and known elephant responses to such stimuli with anticipation. The proposed is an autonomous system that detects the presence of elephants, alarms the concerned, and coordinatively and tactically repels animals back to safer areas. The resulting insight may perhaps lay the basis for a novel management approach towards the human- elephant conflict and elephant-train collisions.