Elephant deaths on and near the state’s railway tracks are on the rise, with 36 deaths caused by train crashes in the last decade, according to government data.
Eleven of the deaths occurred on two railway tracks at Madukkarai, where the forest meets the state of Kerala. These traces coincide with the elephants’ migratory path to neighboring woodlands.
In 2021, the state’s high court ordered the forest department and railways to prohibit elephant fatalities along these routes.
The forest department has placed 12 towers along two of Madukkarai’s train tracks, each equipped with an AI camera capable of thermal and visible light imaging, as well as live viewing.
