Design and Implementation of a Generic Roadkill Prevention System (RPS) Using Laser Beams to Reduce Human-Animal Conflict in Forest Boundaries
R. Ramkumar and Sanjoy Deb
A generic, low-cost and fully automated roadkill prevention system (RPS) using lasers was developed. The RPS is designed as a real-time system that adapts to all weather conditions, that can detect and categorize road crossing animals based on their heights and display distinguishable (category based) warning light signals for approaching vehicles. The system can also send animal category-specific short message service (SMS) to preserved mobile numbers for detection data base (DDB) generation and take necessary counteraction by the forest officials. The RPS prototype was installed in Velamundi Reserve Forest in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve on the Sathyamangalam – Mettupalayam state highway in 2019 and its performance has been closely monitored since then. At present, the RPS is the only functioning system of its kind in India or elsewhere and has registered a 60% dip in roadkill at the project site since its installation. The complete details like architecture, operational algorithm, implementation and performance analysis of the RPS system over a year is presented. Once available in the literature with complete details, the RPS is expected to be replicated in other parts of the world, wherever roadkill is a growing threat to the existing biodiversity.
Keywords: Laser sensor, tiger, elephant, wildlife, microcontroller, circuit design, data acquisition, road safety, human-animal conflict