An AI-powered tiger alert system developed by MARVEL, a special-purpose vehicle of the police department, is now operational across buffer areas of Pench Tiger Reserve and the Nagpur Territorial Forest Division. The Maharashtra government is reportedly considering patenting the technology.
The system was first demonstrated in Chargaon village within the Pench buffer zone, where it relies primarily on the natural alarm calls of prey animals such as sambar and deer. When the AI detects distress vocalisations indicating a tiger’s presence nearby, it triggers a loud siren audible across the village and sends simultaneous alerts to residents’ mobile phones. A central dashboard at the forest control room gives officials real-time updates for coordinated response.
Cameras placed strategically also trigger alerts on direct visual detection, though officials describe this as a secondary mechanism, since tigers rarely venture into open areas near settlements. Audio-based detection through prey alarm calls is considered the more reliable and proactive method.
The initiative reflects a broader push to address rising human-tiger interactions across central India’s forested landscapes. Officials say the system has the potential to reduce both human casualties and livestock losses while easing tensions between local communities and wildlife. Similar deployments are being considered for other sensitive zones in the region.
