In a first, SGNP installs CCTV in animal enclosure

To ensure monitoring of the big cats kept in captivity at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), forest department for the first time has decided to install CCTV camera's inside the animal enclosures. Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) and Director of SGNP, Anwar Ahmed informed that the idea behind this was to ensure that not only the activities of animals can be watched from any location but also prior recorded footages can be accessed in case any animal is sick or found dead. "Some of these camera's have already been installed while more will be installed in the cages of all the big cats and the live feeds will be made available in the offices of concerned forest staff as well as the vet," he said.

Meanwhile Dr Shailesh Pethe, Veterinary Officer for SGNP said that it will prove to be of great help in further ensuring that animals are healthy. "I visit all the animals twice in the day and have to depend on the immediate signs and the animal keepers versions about their important activities that are relevant to judge the animals health but with these cameras we will now be able to keep a check round the clock," he said.

However, forest official said that their initial worry was that the leopards might damage the cameras. "These cameras can be moved as per requirement but leopards are extremely inquisitive and intelligent animals who might jump and damage the cameras while trying to figure out what it is. We might have to keep it stationary and also cover it with a proper covering camouflaging it," said the official.