A device, developed by a city-based researcher, to prevent wild animals from entering and damaging standing crops in farms will soon be field tested in Saswad near Pune. The innovation is expected to cut down on incidents of man-animal conflict.

"It is a known fact that traditional methods used by farmers to protect their crops are not very effective. And it is also not feasible to hire guards to keep an eye on the cops and prevent wild animals from entering into the field," said Varsha Bapat, assistant professor at the Modern College of Arts and Science, who is pursuing her PhD.

Bapat and her guide A D Shaligram have successfully conducted tests of the device using robots that simulate the movements of wild animals, like deer and bison. The success of the trials have encouraged her to test it on ground. "Three of the robots which were used to conduct these tests were imported from the United States while I developed the third one here," she said.

Bapat has proposed to set up an electronic perimeter control system using motion sensors that can detect the presence of a wild animal. Once the sensors detect the presence of a wild animal, it will set off a gadget that will drive the animal away from the field.

"For instance, we have flashers that project bright lights that will be activated by the sensors. Animals get very distracted by the lights and would like to head in a different direction," Bapat said.

A prototype of the device has been prepared and will be tested on ground in a farm in Saswad within a fortnight. She build this device as part of her PhD research on 'Study of Contemporary Crop Security Systems and Development of Sustainable Technology Assisted Upgrades.' Bapat said it will be possible to create a system that is able to detect the presence of a specific wild animal — a deer or boar. Whether it will be the flashing of a bright light or a loud sound or the sound of firecrackers, it can be arranged, but that would need the setting up of cameras which would push costs up considerably.

"The prototype developed by us has cost us Rs 3,000," she said, adding that many farmers can get together and set up a combined system if their fields are adjacent to each other. The second aspect of Bapat's research is to simulate and create a model for the crop loss incurred when there is a wild animal inside a field.

Source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/