Wildlife Research and Conservation Society

Wildlife Research and Conservation Society has developed an android-based app, named Elephant Tracker, which will help to collect valuable information about elephant presence in the forests of Kali Tiger Reserve, and in the Reserved Forests of Yellapur and Haliyal divisions. This app will help in collecting reliable information on elephant presence in the area with the help of the frontline staff of the Forest Department. This study is a collaborative effort between Karnataka Forest Department, Kali Tiger Reserve, and WRCS. This android-based app has been developed by Mr. Jayant Kulkarni, the Executive Director of WRCS.  We conducted an initial training for the field staff in Kali Tiger Reserve in August 2020. On seeing the success of the training and data gathered, Mr. Sanjai Mohan (HOFF , Karnataka state) and Mr. Ajai Misra (PCCF (Wildlife) extended permission for the elephant tracker app to be used in other divisions. We organized the workshop division wise and sub-division wise in KTR Haliyal and Yellapur Forest Divisions and arranged five workshops in respected forest divisions. WRCS Program officers Mr. Ravi Yelapura, Mr. Ameer Khan, and Mr. Sharath Achatangeri are involved in training the field staff. Mr. Maria Kristu Raja, DCF Kali Tiger Reserve, Mr. Gopalkrishna Hegde DCF Yellpaura, and Mr. Ajappa DCF Haliyal Divisions have extended their full support for the workshop. The workshop was attended by ACF, RFOs, DRFOs, and Forest Guards from all three divisions.  We thank the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund (AECF, USFWS) for their continued support for the project. 

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