Thermal imaging drones deployed at Gudalur forest division of Nilgiris to monitor elephants

Thermal imaging drones monitor elephant movements in Gudalur forest division to reduce human-elephant interactions, aid conservation efforts.

Modern technologies including thermal imaging drone cameras have been employed to keep tabs on elephants in human-animal interface regions in the Gudalur forest division in the Nilgiris district.

The forest department said the initiative to use drones has been taken to minimise the number of negative human-elephant interactions in the region. “The use of thermal imaging drones equipped with advanced night vision capabilities has enabled 24x7 monitoring of elephant movements,” the Gudalur forest division said in a press release on Wednesday (June 18, 2025).

The forest department added with the use of the drones, elephant movement towards human settlements can be detected in advance, ensuring that people are warned in time, minimising chances of negative interactions between people and animals. “During night hours, the drones are effectively used to monitor forest elephants in hilly terrains that are otherwise difficult to observe,” it added.

While forest staff continue to be active on the ground throughout the day, helping to raise awareness among the public about measures that can be taken to minimise negative interactions between people and animals, the drone cameras will serve to improve their operational capabilities. It will also aid the department clampdown on illegal trespassing and potentially, poaching as well. “The cameras can also be used to track any illegal movement of people, potentially poachers into forest areas,” said a top forest department official.

The data gathered from the use of the drones will also be used to understand the behavioural patterns of wild elephants and will be used to design pre-emptive strategies to deal with human-elephant interactions in the future, the department added.