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48-759: Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve is a protected area and tiger reserve located along the area straddling both the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats in the Erode district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu . The Sathyamangalam Forest Division is part of the Bramhagiri-Nilgiris-Eastern Ghats Elephant Reserve notified in 2003. In 2008, part of the Sathyamangalam Forest Division was declared

96-413: A computer . Even though this method is uncommon, it is highly useful and could be the future of this research method. Some cameras are even programmed to take multiple pictures after a triggering event. There are non-triggered cameras that either run continuously or take pictures at specific time intervals. The more common ones are the advanced cameras that are triggered only after sensing movement and/or

144-584: A tiger population of 80 individuals in 2018 which was 25 in 2011. In 2022, the reserve won the TX2 award by World Wide Fund in collaboration with wildlife conservation agencies for its growth in tiger population. Patches of sandalwood reserves including the Sathyamangalam forests were notified under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 . The forests were part of the erstwhile Coimbatore district with

192-471: A 5 km (3.1 mi) radius surrounding the park. Tribal people engage in agriculture, grazing of animals and collecting minor forest produce such as honey , tubers , fuel wood and fish . According to the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 , the tribals were entitled to use designated land within the park area for agriculture and

240-412: A cost-effective monitoring tool. Infrared flash cameras have low disturbance and visibility. Besides olfactory and acoustic cues, camera flash may scare animals so that they avoid or destroy camera traps. The major alternative light source is infrared, which is usually not detectable by mammals or birds . Camera traps are also helpful in quantifying the number of different species in an area; this

288-400: A few high altitude hill tops of Sathyamamgalam between 750 m (2,460 ft) and 1,649 m (5,410 ft). These patches are threatened on account of land use changing to hill agriculture and plantation crops, including fruit. Semi-evergreen forests are found at high altitude. Mixed and dry deciduous forests are located on middle altitude slopes and the thorn forests are usually found in

336-412: A heat signature to increase the chances of capturing a useful image. Infrared beams can also be used to trigger the camera. Video is also an emerging option in camera traps, allowing researchers to record running streams of video and to document animal behavior. The battery life of some of these cameras is another important factor in which cameras are used; large batteries offer a longer running time for

384-412: A highly negative effect on camera traps and can result in camera malfunction. This can be problematic since the malfunction is often not immediately discovered, so a large portion of research time can be lost. Often a researcher expecting the experiment to be complete will trek back to the site, only to discover far less data than expected – or even none at all. The best type of weather for it to work in

432-591: A range officer at Sathyamangalam and eight guards. The forest division is currently located in Erode district and forms a part of the Brahmagiri - Nilgiris - Eastern Ghats elephant reserve notified in 2003. Sathyamangalam Forest Division was declared a wildlife sanctuary with effect from 3 November 2008 by the Government of Tamil Nadu as per the Wild Life Protection Act of 1972 . In 2008,

480-485: A tiger reserve because of the consistent sighting of tigers in the forest area and that the declaration would strengthen wildlife conservation efforts, as the central government would provide additional financial support for the appointment of additional anti-poaching watchers and for the establishment of anti-poaching camps. On 10 March 2011, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests said that

528-601: A useful tool for anti-poaching or other law enforcement effort. One of the most important things to consider when setting up camera traps is choosing the location in order to get the best results. Camera traps near mineral licks or along game trails, where it is more likely that animals will visit frequently, are normally seen. Animals congregate around a mineral lick to consume water and soil, which can be useful in reducing toxin levels or supplement mineral intake in their diet . These locations for camera traps also allow for variety of animals who show up at different times and use

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576-460: A wildlife sanctuary, which was further enlarged in 2011 to cover a forest area of 1,411.6 km (545.0 sq mi). It is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. In 2013, an area of 1,408.6 km (543.9 sq mi) of the erstwhile sanctuary was notified as a tiger reserve and it was the fourth tiger reserve established in the state as a part of Project Tiger . The reserve

624-426: Is a camera that is automatically triggered by motion in its vicinity, like the presence of an animal or a human being. It is typically equipped with a motion sensor – usually a passive infrared (PIR) sensor or an active infrared (AIR) sensor using an infrared light beam. Camera traps are a type of remote cameras used to capture images of wildlife with as little human interference as possible. Camera trapping

672-408: Is a method for recording wild animals when researchers are not present, and has been used in ecological research for decades. In addition to applications in hunting and wildlife viewing, research applications include studies of nest ecology , detection of rare species, estimation of population size and species richness, and research on habitat use and occupation of human-built structures. Since

720-404: Is a more effective method than attempting to count by hand every individual organism in a field. It can also be useful in identifying new or rare species that have yet to be well documented. It has been key in recent years in the rediscovery of species such as the black-naped pheasant-pigeon , thought to be extinct for 140 years but captured on a trail camera by researchers. By using camera traps,

768-756: Is a significant ecosystem and a wildlife corridor in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats and a genetic link between the five other protected areas which it adjoins, including the Sigur Plateau , Mudumalai and Bandipur National Parks , Billigiriranga Swamy Temple and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuaries . The reserve covers parts of Sathyamangalam and Gobichettipalayam taluks of Erode district in western Tamil Nadu . The reserve had

816-440: Is any place with low humidity and stable moderate temperatures. There is also the possibility, if it is a motion activated camera, that any movement within the sensitivity range of the camera’s sensor will trigger a picture, so the camera might end up with numerous pictures of anything the wind moves, such as plants. As far as problems with camera traps, it cannot be overlooked that sometimes the subjects themselves negatively affect

864-1463: Is one conservation reserve at Tiruvidaimarudur in Thanjavur district . There are two zoos recognised by the Central Zoo Authority of India namely Arignar Anna Zoological Park and Madras Crocodile Bank Trust , both located in Chennai . The state has other smaller zoos run by local administrative bodies such as Coimbatore Zoo in Coimbatore , Amirthi Zoological Park in Vellore , Kurumpampatti Wildlife Park in Salem , Yercaud Deer Park in Yercaud , Mukkombu Deer Park in Tiruchirapalli and Ooty Deer Park in Nilgiris . There are five crocodile farms located at Amaravati in Coimbatore district , Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri district , Kurumbapatti in Salem district , Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai and Sathanur in Tiruvannamalai district . Camera trap A camera trap

912-764: Is part of Project Tiger and Project Elephant conservation programmes run by the Government of India. The sanctuary is listed among the top five places in India for poaching tigers by the international wild life trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC . In February 2016, the National Tiger Conservation Authority announced that drones will be used to monitor tiger population in five tiger reserves including Sathyamangalam. The reserve also faces issues due to forest fires , uncontrolled grazing of cattle and growth of invasive plant species, damaging

960-526: Is that they can record very accurate data without disturbing the photographed animal. These data are superior to human observations because they can be reviewed by other researchers. They minimally disturb wildlife and can replace the use of more invasive survey and monitoring techniques such as live trap and release. They operate continually and silently, provide proof of species present in an area, can reveal what prints and scats belong to which species, provide evidence for management and policy decisions, and are

1008-513: Is the best technique to use in the specific research is which type of species one is attempting to observe with the camera. Species such as small-bodied birds and insects may be too small to trigger the camera. Reptiles and amphibians will not be able to trip the infrared or heat differential-based sensors, however, methods have been developed to detect these species by utilizing a reflector based sensor system. However, for most medium and large-bodied terrestrial species camera traps have proven to be

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1056-553: The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to consider the possibility of proposing the Sathyamangalam wildlife sanctuary as a Project Tiger reserve as per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 as the area is contiguous with the forests of Bandipur and Mudumalai tiger reserves. On 1 April 2010, the Government of Tamil Nadu announced that it would initiate the process to declare the sanctuary as

1104-472: The Government of Karnataka sent a proposal to declare the contiguous Billigiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve which was subsequently approved in 2010. In a wildlife survey conducted by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2010, 46 tigers were sighted in the Sathyamangalam forest area. In July 2010, the Minister of State for Environment and Forests of the Government of India requested

1152-631: The Tamil Nadu Forest Department . There are three Biosphere Reserves in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu has five National Parks covering 307.84 km (118.86 sq mi). Tamil Nadu has 18 wildlife sanctuaries . There are five declared elephant sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu as per Project Elephant . Tamil Nadu participates in Project Tiger and has five declared tiger reserves . There are seventeen declared bird sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu. There

1200-735: The Tamil Nadu Police in October 2004. Protected areas of Tamil Nadu Protected areas in South India were created from private hunting grounds of the erstwhile Maharajas of the princely states. Mudumalai National Park was established in 1940 and was the first modern wildlife sanctuary in South India. The protected areas are administered by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of Government of India and

1248-531: The title deeds for the same are to be distributed within 2016 after the Supreme Court of India vacated a stay order issued by the Madras High Court prohibiting the same. The forests were also the home of notorious criminal and bandit Veerapan , who made a living by poaching , smuggling ivory and sandalwood from the forests and selling them on the black market. Veerapan was killed by

1296-506: The Department of forests increased the sanctuary area by declaring an additional 887.26 km (342.57 sq mi) in seven reserve forests of Sathyamangalam forest division. The largest chunks of additional area are 487.92 km (188.39 sq mi) from Guthiyalathur and 319.87 km (123.50 sq mi) from Thalamalai reserve forests, thus increasing the total sanctuary area to 1,411.6 km (545.0 sq mi). Of

1344-513: The Sathyamangalam forests and 69 of them were found positive for tigers by tests conducted at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad . The findings also indicated that the region was home to as many as 30 tigers. Supported by the reports of tiger sightings, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department submitted a detailed report to the state government supporting the proposal to declare

1392-439: The camera but can be cumbersome in set up or when lugging the equipment to the field site. Weather proof and waterproof housing for camera traps protect the equipment from damage and disguise the equipment from animals. Noise-reduction housing limits the possibility of disturbing and scaring away animals. Sound recording is another feature that can be added to the camera to record animal calls and times when specific animals are

1440-424: The ecosystem. Man-animal conflicts are common especially with elephants and leopards . Elephants raid crop fields and illegal electric fences used to protect crops mortally wound elephants and five elephants were electrocuted in three-month period between January and April 2013. As of 2011, solar powered fencing that give a short and safe electric shock was laid over a length of 239 km (149 mi) to prevent

1488-483: The entry of elephants into agricultural lands. The state forest department also dug trenches at a cost of ₹ 1.51 crore (US$ 180,000) to prevent the elephants from entering human habitats. Leopards prey on domestic cattle with as many as 27 goats killed by them in a single month in November 2012. National highway 948 passes through the wildlife sanctuary and wildlife deaths have been reported due to vehicular movement in

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1536-534: The famous feral buffaloes can also be spotted in places near the Moyar river. The 2010 wildlife survey counted 12 Bengal tigers. In December 2011, the Conservator of Forests of Tamil Nadu stated that the sanctuary is home to at least 28 tigers as confirmed by a camera trap study conducted by World Wildlife Fund. In the 2012 national wildlife survey, 25 tigers were recorded. In 2018, 80 tigers were recorded. In 2022,

1584-414: The first ever bird survey was conducted in the Sathyamangalam forests and a total of 230 species of birds were recorded in the survey. In 2010, a small population of critically endangered Indian vulture ( Gyps indicus ) and three other species of vultures were discovered in the Moyar river valley. 20 nests were sighted and the population was estimated to consist up of 40 adults. It was last sighted in

1632-488: The foothills and some times, due degradation of dry deciduous forests, at the middle elevations. About 65% of the forest division is under forest cover. Significant areas of mixed shrubland and grasslands support a large population of herbivore ungulates , the preferred prey of tigers. The Sathyamangalam forests link the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats allowing gene flow between diverse fauna populations of

1680-542: The fourth tiger reserve in the state, with the other three being Mudumalai, Indira Gandhi National Park and Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve . The total area originally declared as a sanctuary was 524.3494 km (202.4524 sq mi). The boundaries of the sanctuary were the Thalavadi range of Thalamalai forests and Hasanur , T.N.Palayam ranges of Gobichettipalayam taluk of Guthiyalathur forests, contiguous with Billigiriranga Swamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary in

1728-587: The highway at night. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve forests are home to indigenous tribal people belonging largely to the Irulas , also known as the Urali, and Soliga communities. In 2011, the Tamil Nadu state forest department officials conducted a study on the cattle and human population in the seven forest settlements and 12 revenue settlements inside the protected area. As of 2013, tribals engage in collecting honey, more than 900 families live in 138 villages within

1776-487: The introduction of commercial infrared-triggered cameras in the early 1990s, their use has increased. With advancements in the quality of camera equipment, this method of field observation has become more popular among researchers. Hunting has played an important role in development of camera traps, since hunters use them to scout for game. These hunters have opened a commercial market for the devices, leading to many improvements over time. The great advantage of camera traps

1824-724: The licks in different ways allowing for the study of animal behavior . To study more specific behaviors of a particular species, it is helpful to identify the target species' runs, dens, beds, latrines, food caches, favored hunting and foraging grounds, etc. Knowledge of the target species' general habits, seasonal variations in behavior and habitat use, as well as its tracks, scat, feeding sign, and other spoor are extremely helpful in locating and identifying these sites, and this strategy has been described in great detail for many species. Bait may be used to attract desired species. However type, frequency and method of presentation require careful consideration. Another major factor in whether this

1872-453: The most vocal. Wireless transmission allows images and videos to be sent using cellular networks, so users can view activity instantly without disturbing their targets. The use of invisible flash "No-Glow" IR leverages 940   nm infrared waves to illuminate a night image without being detected by humans or wildlife. These waves are outside of the visible light spectrum so the subject doesn't know they are being watched. Humidity has

1920-683: The north and the rivers of Moyar and Bhavani , contiguous with Mudumalai National Park and Sigur Plateau in the south. The eastern boundary is formed by the Bargur reserved forests in Anthiyur taluk and Bandipur National Park in the west. The sanctuary includes the areas of Guthiyalathur reserved forests (299.47 km (115.63 sq mi)), Guthiyalathur extension (1.62 km (0.63 sq mi)), Thalamalai reserved forests (210.85 km (81.41 sq mi)) and Thalamalai extension (12.41 km (4.79 sq mi)). In September 2011,

1968-465: The proposal for according tiger reserve status for the Sathyamangalam reserve forests is under consideration. He said that studies using camera traps indicated there could be 19 to 25 tigers in the forests. A 2011 camera trap tiger density study conducted by World Wildlife Fund indicated that the sanctuary is home to at least 25 tigers. In the same year, a DNA based project initiated by the state forest department collected 150 samples of pugmarks from

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2016-403: The region in the 1970s, and the rediscovery is significant to its conservation. Diclofenac , which caused the decline of vulture population was banned in 2006 and since then, vulture numbers have started to grow back. Conservation of the Sathyamangalam Forest Division is administered by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department governed through Conservator of Forests , STR-Erode. The wildlife sanctuary

2064-522: The research. One of the most common things is that animals unknowingly topple a camera or splatter it with mud or water ruining the film or lens . One other method of animal tampering involves the animals themselves taking the cameras for their own uses. There are examples of some animals actually taking the cameras and snapping pictures of themselves. Local people sometimes use the same game trails as wildlife, and hence are also photographed by camera traps placed along these trails. This can make camera traps

2112-457: The reserve won the TX2 award by World Wide Fund in collaboration with wildlife conservation agencies for its growth in tiger population. As per the 2011 census, the Sathyamangalam forests was home to over 850 Indian elephants and is part of a protected area, which consists of the largest Asian elephant population in the world. The reserve hosts many bird species including treepies , bulbuls , Old World babblers , mynahs and crows . In 2010,

2160-722: The sanctuary as a tiger reserve and the proposal was taken up for consideration by the Tamil Nadu Council of Ministers in early 2012. On 6 April 2012, the Chief Wildlife Warden said that the proposal to declare Sathyamangalam as a tiger reserve has been sent to the Ministry of Environment and Forests for approval and funding. In March 2013, the Government of India issued an order declaring the Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary as

2208-598: The total area, the core zone comprises 917.27 km (354.16 sq mi) reserved forests and tourism is allowed in the buffer zone with only forest officials permitted entry into the core zone. The Sathyamangalam forest is mostly tropical dry forest , part of the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests ecoregion . There are five distinct forest types: tropical evergreen ( Shola ), semi-evergreen, mixed-deciduous, dry deciduous and thorn forests . Evergreen forests are restricted to small patches in

2256-406: The two eco-regions. The 2009 wildlife survey conducted by Government of Tamil Nadu enumerated 10 Bengal tiger , 866 Indian elephants , 672 gaurs , and 27 leopards . The survey party observed four additional species of horned antelope including 2,348 spotted deer , 1,068 blackbucks , 304 sambar deer , 77 barking deer and four-horned antelopes , 843 wild boars , and 43 sloth bears . Herds of

2304-542: The well-being and survival rate of animals can be observed over time. Camera traps are helpful in determining behavioral and activity patterns of animals, such as which time of day they visit mineral licks . Camera traps are also useful to record animal migrations. The earliest models used traditional film and a one-shot trigger function. These cameras contained film that needed to be collected and developed like any other standard camera. Today, more advanced cameras utilize digital photography , sending photos directly to

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