Drones transform forest surveillance at Jaldapara, eliminate poaching cases

Alipurduar: Drone technology has emerged as a game-changer in advanced forest monitoring, giving the Forest department an effective “eye in the sky” to supplement traditional patrolling methods at Jaldapara National Park. Over the past year, the introduction of drone cameras has significantly strengthened wildlife surveillance and protection efforts, officials said.

Earlier, patrolling the dense forest—either on foot or on elephant-back—was labour-intensive and time-consuming. With the deployment of drones, daytime monitoring has become faster, safer and far more efficient. The cameras, connected to the internet, allow officials to track real-time movement across remote zones of the 216.51 sq km reserve, including rhinos, elephants and other wildlife.

Forest personnel can respond immediately whenever suspicious activity is detected. Officials report that this improved vigilance has considerably reduced the tendency of wild animals to stray into nearby human settlements during daylight hours.

The Jaldapara Forest Division began using four high-tech drones about a year ago. Data from the past 12 months shows remarkable results: not a single poaching incident was reported, no movement of poachers was detected and timber smuggling dropped sharply.

A striking example of the drones’ effectiveness came on 5 October, when severe flooding in the Torsa River washed away eight one-horned rhinos. The animals later took refuge in the Rasomati forest of Patlakhawa in Cooch Behar. Drone surveillance helped pinpoint their exact locations, enabling forest officials to safely return all eight rhinos back to Jaldapara.

Parveen Kaswan, DFO of the Jaldapara Forest Division, said: “For the protection of forests and wildlife, we continuously adopt advanced technology, and drone cameras are an essential part of that effort. We have achieved significant success through their use—there is no doubt about that.

However, along with modern tools, traditional patrolling on foot and on elephant-back will continue.

Drone surveillance enhances our ability to detect movement, monitor sensitive zones and respond swiftly. This integrated approach strengthens protection, improves situational awareness, and supports the park’s broader conservation goals.”