According to officials, this pilot initiative is designed to reduce crop damage caused by blackbucks and nilgais, while promoting a balanced wildlife population. If successful, the project is expected to be implemented in other regions across the country
-1761031021662_d.png "India deploys Boma technique for first time to relocate blackbucks in Madhya Pradesh")
This marks the first time the Boma technique has been used in India. PIC VIA Madhya Pradesh Forest Department
In Madhya Pradesh’s Shajapur district, forest officials, with support from South African experts, successfully captured 45 blackbucks using the Boma technique, a modern, low-stress wildlife capture method that involves the use of a helicopter. The animals were later relocated to the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary.
According to officials, this pilot initiative is designed to reduce crop damage caused by blackbucks and nilgais, while promoting a balanced wildlife population. If successful, the project is expected to be implemented in other regions across the country.
This marks the first time the Boma technique has been used in India.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) – Wildlife, Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, Krishna Moorthy said, "On Deepavali day, the MP Forest Department, with technical support from Conservation Solutions, South Africa, captured 45 blackbucks using the Boma technique in Shajapur district. This is the first time in India that blackbucks have been captured with the help of a helicopter.
"The use of a helicopter provides the advantage of locating the herds and slowly guiding them into the Boma. Manoeuvring the herds amidst electric lines and agricultural fields was challenging, but it was skillfully handled by the South African pilot in coordination with the Indian pilot," he said.
"The objective of this initiative is to reduce crop depredation and human-wildlife conflict. The captured animals were safely released into forest areas. The MPFD has previously conducted successful mass captures of gaur, barasingha, blue bull, and spotted deer, and now, blackbuck," he added.
AI misuse creates tiger scare near Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is posing an unlikely challenge for the forest department and wildlife conservationists. Since the past week, an AI-generated image of a Royal Bengal tiger in Mulund, near Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), has been going viral on social media, sparking unnecessary panic among locals. After the image was forwarded to groups and NGOs working for wildlife conservation, they made it clear to residents that the picture is fake, as there are no Royal Bengal tigers in SGNP.
Forest department officials are working to raise awareness among locals, urging them not to fall for AI-generated images. They advise the public to report any attempts to spread misinformation directly to the department. Advocate Pawan Sharma, founder and president, Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), said that AI is a powerful man-made invention and tool, but it should not be misused to create content that spreads panic and distress.
“It takes years for the forest department and conservation groups to spread awareness to promote coexistence and show wildlife in a positive light. Such attempts reverse our efforts. People should be aware of such misleading and fraudulent information. One must not share or spread news or information without verification from the authorities concerned.
Creators of such content should be aware that they can be in legal trouble if the authorities track them down as such action amount to a violation of laws such as the Information Technology IT Act, 2000; Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023; Disaster Management Act, 2005; Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023,” said Sharma.
Leopard scare
A video claiming to show four leopards roaming on a road in Chiplun, Ratnagiri district, recently went viral. However, it was later confirmed that the video was fake. In Nashik, too, panic was created due to AI-generated images of a leopard roaming the streets of the city.
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