Tamil Nadu wildlife conservation initiatives receive national awards
The awards recognise a mass firearm surrender campaign, community conservation efforts, and an AI-based elephant warning system.
Tamil Nadu's wildlife conservation initiatives have been recognised nationally, according to The Hindu. The awards cover a mass surrender of illegal country-made firearms, community-based conservation in Mudumalai, and an AI-based early-warning system for elephants.
The 'Ozhippom Thuppakkiyai, Kaapom Yanaigalai' campaign was launched at the Hosur Forest Division in September 2022 following two elephant deaths caused by illegal gunshot injuries in 2022. The initiative, which included a second phase in August 2024, resulted in the voluntary surrender of 239 illegal country-made guns.
K. Karthikeyani, the then Wildlife Warden of Hosur and current Thanjavur District Forest Officer, received a special jury award from Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav. The award was an initiative of the Indian Forest Service Association (IFSA) and Indian Masterminds.
S. Senbagapriya, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, received the eco-warrior award for wildlife protection and conservation in the Mudumalai landscape. During her tenure as deputy director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve between April 2018 and February 2021, she oversaw village relocation programmes and won the WWF PATA Bagh Mitra award for the year 2018.
N. Jayaraj was recognised for implementing an AI-based surveillance and early-warning system in the Madukkarai forest range of the Coimbatore Forest Division. Since its introduction in February 2024, the system has generated over 6,000 alerts and helped approximately 2,800 safe elephant crossings on railway tracks.