Recently, a tragic incident occurred when the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express collided with a herd of elephants in Assam's Hojai district, resulting in the deaths of seven elephants. The collision caused the locomotive and five coaches to derail, yet thankfully, no passengers were harmed.
India is home to over half of the world’s Asian elephant population, making train collisions a significant threat to their survival. These accidents rank among the leading human-induced causes of elephant deaths in the nation.
Between 2010 and 2020, approximately 1,160 elephants died due to non-natural causes. The leading cause of death was electrocution, with 741 casualties, followed closely by train collisions, which accounted for 186 deaths. This link between electrocution and railway infrastructure highlights the need for addressing these dangers.
Railways, roads, and canals disrupt elephant habitats, fragmenting their living spaces. This infrastructure can trap herds, limit access to food and water, and elevate stress levels, adversely affecting their long-term health and survival.
Research indicates that most train-elephant collisions occur at night. Male elephants are particularly vulnerable as they frequently cross tracks, especially during crop-harvesting seasons when they may venture into agricultural areas, thus increasing their exposure to railway lines.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) outlines in its 2023 handbook that the most effective strategy to prevent collisions is to avoid elephant habitats and migration corridors when planning infrastructure. While mitigation measures are essential, they should not replace careful route selection.
Well-designed wildlife crossings, when combined with fencing, can reduce wildlife mortality by up to 98%. These structures are essential for effective mitigation strategies for railways and roads that traverse elephant territories.
Wildlife crossings can be designed as underpasses or overpasses, depending on the terrain and the behavior of elephants. For effective usage, these crossings need to be spacious, with minimum heights of 6–7 meters, adjusted according to crossing length.
The placement of crossings is equally important as their design. Utilizing camera traps and GPS telemetry helps map elephant movement and identify collision hotspots, guiding the optimal placement of these crossings.
Strategically placed fencing along high-risk areas prevents elephants from wandering onto tracks and directs them towards designated crossings, enhancing the efficacy of the mitigation system.
Alongside physical measures, technology-based early-warning systems are emerging as effective solutions to decrease elephant-train accidents. These systems alert train operators about potential elephant crossings.
Early-warning systems can be either locomotive-based or ground-based. Locomotive systems utilize Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) cameras, which can detect obstacles from up to 750 meters away, even in low visibility. Ground-based systems incorporate cameras along with acoustic or seismic sensors at known elephant crossing points.
The previous limitations of early-warning systems due to data overload and false alarms have been addressed with advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning, resulting in quicker and more accurate analyses.
Indian Railways has begun to implement AI-based early-warning systems, with limited adoption so far. The Northeast Frontier Railway took the lead in 2023 by introducing AI monitoring to safeguard elephants, followed by similar initiatives in the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border in 2024. Early results are promising, indicating potential for broader implementation.
Q1. What are the main causes of elephant deaths on railway tracks?
Answer: The primary causes of elephant deaths on railway tracks include train collisions and electrocution, which is often linked to high-voltage overhead railway lines, resulting in significant mortality among elephants in India.
Q2. How can wildlife crossings help prevent elephant-train collisions?
Answer: Wildlife crossings provide safe passage for elephants over or under railways, significantly reducing the chances of collisions. Properly designed crossings can lower wildlife mortality rates by up to 98%.
Q3. What role does technology play in preventing elephant-train collisions?
Answer: Technology, such as early-warning systems using sensors and AI, helps alert train operators about the presence of elephants on tracks, thereby preventing potential collisions.
Q4. Why are male elephants more at risk during train collisions?
Answer: Male elephants are more frequently involved in train collisions because they tend to cross tracks more often, especially during crop-harvest seasons, increasing their exposure to railway lines.
Q5. What measures can be taken to protect elephant habitats from railway infrastructure?
Answer: Effective measures include careful planning of railway routes to avoid critical habitats, implementing wildlife crossings, and using fencing to guide elephants safely across tracks.
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