Drone cameras are emerging as a key tool for tracking wild animals near villages

Mysuru: Drone cameras are emerging as a key tool for forest officials in tracking wild animals that stray out of forest areas, enabling faster monitoring across large stretches and helping teams quickly rescue the animals or drive them back into the forest.

Officials said drones are now routinely deployed whenever there are reports of tigers near human habitation. Over the past five months, several tigers spotted outside Bandipur Tiger Reserve and close to villages were quickly identified with the help of drone cameras and rescued.

According to forest officials, drone surveillance has significantly strengthened monitoring efforts, particularly in cases involving tigers and elephants moving close to villages. Technology has helped staff track animal movement more efficiently and respond before panic spreads among farmers and residents. Officials, however, said drone operations have at times faced interference from some villagers.


Bandipur Tiger Reserve director S Prabhakaran told TOI that the technology has enabled foresters to trace tiger movement near villages within a short time, easing panic among locals. Earlier, combing operations were difficult and time-consuming, but drone cameras have made it easier to identify wild animals in conflict zones.

On Wednesday, a tiger was found resting near a banana plantation in Chennamallipura village, Gundlupet taluk. Officials said thermal drones were also used during the combing operations after dusk.

Four days earlier, a two-year-old tiger cub was rescued from the same village, Chennamallipura. Officials believe it may be the cub of the tigress sighted on Wednesday. The cub has been shifted to a rehabilitation centre in Mysuru.

Ten days ago, a tiger was found dead near Padaguru village, around 20 km from the tiger reserve. During a routine drone inspection, foresters noticed the animal lying motionless for a long time. When they reached the spot, it was found dead.

In Nov, a tigress and her three cubs were rescued within a week in Kalahalli village in Gundlupet taluk, after their movement was captured on drone cameras.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve, which has the highest tiger population among Karnataka's five tiger reserves, currently has three drone cameras for surveillance and rescue operations.