AI-Enabled Virtual Fencing for Mitigating Human–Elephant Conflict and Preventing Elephant Mortality in India: A Conceptual Framework and Policy Appraisal

Abstract

Human–elephant conflict is one of the most urgent conservation issues in India, resulting in the deaths of people and elephants annually and causing tension between forest departments and villagers. The effectiveness of conventional mitigation measures such as physical barriers, electrified fences and trenches has been inconsistent and they have, in some instances, created new risks. In this article, we explore a new alternative a virtual fence using artificial intelligence (AI) that has been proven to work with livestock and can be adapted for free-ranging elephants. The method involves a graduated, humane cueing system, which uses a sound cue to steer animals away from danger zones before introducing any mild physical cue, in combination with satellite positioning and behaviour trained machine-learning models. The technology is explained in simple terms, its protection benefits for elephant, community and habitat are assessed and its economic, social, ethical and governance aspects are discussed. Verified mortality data from national wildlife authorities are reported to give an indication of the magnitude of the problem with caveats for provisional data. The analysis also highlights gaps in current policy implementation, identifies mistakes that can be avoided in future policy programmes and addresses research gaps that need to be filled before scaling up deployment. The article concludes that, if used responsibly, virtual fencing can be a scalable and compassionate addition to the existing toolbox of conservation tools in India, and in other elephant range countries.