The Better India
On a November night in Hosur last year, a herd of elephants , mothers and their calves, moved through the forest, their bodies glowing against the blackness. The young ones stayed close, almost tucked into the shadows of the adults, as if the night itself was something to be crossed carefully. From a distance, forest officials watched. The video came from a thermal-imaging drone deployed in Tamil Nadu’s Hosur Forest Division, capturing a moment that would otherwise have passed unseen: a family on the move, and a system learning, finally, to let them pass safely. Every year large elephant herds migrate in Hosur from the adjoining Bannerghatta National Park and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary often crossing into the forest agriculture interface of Jawlagiri and Denkanikottai leading to conflict. This is truly one of the toughest seasons for… pic.twitter.com/5BtbmMfs1Y — Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) November 25, 2025 Seeing what we couldn’t before At its simplest, a thermal camera does what the human eye cannot. Instead of relying on visible light, it detects heat. Every living being emits infrared radiation, and these cameras convert that heat into images. In dense forests, in fog, or in complete darkness, an elephant herd that would otherwise remain invisible can now be tracked in real time. A moving mass of heat becomes a map, one that forest officials can follow. This ability is beginning to change the terms of one of India’s most persistent conservation challenges, human – elephant conflict. Before the crossing becomes a crisis In Tamil Nadu, where some of the country’s most conflict-prone landscapes lie, thermal-imaging drones are now part of frontline forest management. In the Hosur Forest Division, near the Karnataka border, these drones monitor elephants moving between Bannerghatta National Park and the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. Every year, herds cross into agricultural areas in Jawlagiri and Denkanikottai, often leading to dangerous encounters. Now, officials are able to see these movements before they become a crisis. Real-time visuals are helping teams detect herds early and guide nearly half of them back into forest interiors before they reach villages. The same system has reduced accidental encounters and improved the efficiency of ensuring safe passage. Something incredibly exciting is happening in Gudalur in The Nilgiris District which has been facing serious human wildlife conflict for years but this is now set to change. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has just launched another AI-powered Command and Control Centre using 46… pic.twitter.com/EbrFJlOY6t — Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) December 24, 2025 The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has also launched another AI-powered Command and Control Centre using 46 AI enabled thermal cameras to detect wildlife movement early and warn people with real time alerts in Gudalur in The Nilgiris District which has been facing serious human wildlife conflict for years. This is backed by round-the-clock monitoring and rapid response teams. The night shift on the ground Technology, here, works hand in hand with people. Anti-depredation teams operate through the night, coordinating with drone operators. Steel wire fencing has been installed along long stretches of forest boundary to close off vulnerable crossing points. A moving mass of heat becomes a map, one that forest officials can follow. Photograph: (IFS Ramesh Pandey) And when elephants do enter open areas, the priority is to keep people away, reduce panic, and allow the animals to move through without confrontation. From Tamil Nadu to the rest of India What began as a targeted intervention is now spreading. In West Bengal, thermal drone cameras are being used at night to monitor elephants near human settlements, aiming to prevent crop damage and casualties. In Chhattisgarh’s Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve, similar systems help track herd movement and identify solitary bulls, which are often involved in conflict. Karnataka has taken this further. In early 2026, AI-enabled thermal cameras were introduced in Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Mounted on watchtowers, they can detect wildlife movement over long distances, even in fog or poor weather. The live feed is accessible remotely, allowing faster and more coordinated responses. Beyond tracking elephants, these systems are also helping detect poaching activity and early signs of forest fires. Sources: ‘Thermal drones transform wildlife tracking across Karnataka’ : By BySridhar Vivan, Published on 31 March 2026 ‘Thermal Cameras Placed In Bandipur To Monitor Wildlife Movement’ : By Lawrence Milton, Published on 23 January 2026 ‘Tamil Nadu: These elephants are dying on rail tracks - can AI save them?’ :By S Prasanth, Published on 21 May 2024
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