In a significant step toward the mitigation of conflict between humans and wildlife in the Terai region, the Wildlife Trust of India has introduced the Animal Intrusion Detection and Repellent System in Pilibhit of Uttar Pradesh. This initiative aims to address the challenges posed by human-wildlife interactions, particularly involving flagship species such as tigers and leopards.
Bharat Kumar DK, DFO at Pilibhit Social Forestry Division said, “Tiger populations in Pilibhit are increasing due to effective wildlife management and strict law enforcement, benefiting both tourism and nature. However, this has led to conflicts with people living near forests. ANIDERS, a solar-powered, eco-friendly system, will notify locals about wildlife presence. The light and sound are intended to serve as deterrents to wildlife, helping to prevent conflicts between local communities and animals in fringe areas. We hope this system proves effective in the Terai region.”
Dr Abhishek Ghosal, Division Head, HWC Mitigation Division, WTI, said, “Early detection and deterrence of wild carnivores around human habitations is a fundamental preventive step for human-carnivore conflict management. ANIDERS use a combination of loud buzz of sound and intense light to startle the target animal. Along with camera traps, ANIDERS will serve the purpose of detecting and deterring big cats before they enter human habitations. Very important will be to change the locations of ANIDERS at regular intervals to avoid the habituation of tigers and leopards to the light and sound.”
Dr Dibyadeep Chatterjee, Project Head of WTI Pilibhit, emphasised the importance of this step, stating, “This initiative represents a critical step toward creating safer spaces for both communities and wildlife. We are optimistic about the potential of ANIDERS to mitigate conflicts and support coexistence.” Under the pilot phase of this project, ANIDERS devices have been strategically installed in sets of five at Mandaria and Dhankuni, areas within the Pilibhit Social Forestry Area identified as prone to human-wildlife conflicts.
The launch event brought together an enthusiastic and collaborative team. WTI’s Field Officers Archit Mishra, Debkanta Kabiraj, Jyoti Antil, Arun Kumar, and Program Officers Divya Mehra and Sadhika Sehgal actively participated in the initiative, alongside Assistant Rustam Rana. Representatives from the Forest Department, including Range Officer Vineet Srivastava, Deputy Ranger Sher Singh, Forest Guard Soni Singh, and Watcher Rama Avtar, extended their expertise and support. Community leaders, Gram Pradhans Ramesh Kumar of Madaria and Prameshwari Dayal of Dhankuni, also joined the efforts, reflecting strong engagement from the local community.
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