Ranthambore's surveillance system is down; tigers at risk
Ranthambore Tiger Reserve's pricey surveillance setup—meant to protect tigers and stop poaching—has mostly broken down.
Out of 12 cameras, just one actually works right now, making it tough to keep an eye on wildlife in this crucial sanctuary.
System was set up in 2017-18
The system was rolled out between 2017 and 2018 to cover most of the reserve with towers and cameras that could track for miles.
But thanks to technical glitches and poor upkeep, almost the whole network is offline.
Drones bought for extra help haven't even been used yet
Since there's no AI or automated alerts, forest staff have to watch the feeds themselves—which isn't realistic for such a huge area.
Drones bought for extra help haven't even been used yet.
Five tigers vanished over the past 3 years (between June 2022 and May 2024)
Five tigers vanished over the past three years (between June 2022 and May 2024).
With so much at stake for India's tiger population, this breakdown feels especially worrying.