LAKHIMPUR KHERI, Nov. 16 -- Soon, artificial intelligence (AI) will assist Dudhwa buffer zone forest officials in mitigating the human-animal conflicts in the areas with frequent wildlife movement. Following directives from the UP forest department, the Dudhwa buffer zone authorities have prepared a proposal for an AI-enabled, technology-driven early warning and rapid response system. A total 20 AI-enabled towers-equipped with cameras, MM wave radar sensors, thermal and infrared cameras, repeater stations for remote monitoring and an AI-equipped siren alert system-have been proposed for installation in all sensitive areas across the entire buffer zone. A dedicated command-and-control center will be set up at the district headquarters to oversee the system. The main goal is to obtain real-time alerts on wildlife movement and enable quick responses to prevent human-animal conflicts and avoid loss of life. Once approved and implemented, the Dudhwa buffer zone will become the first forest reserve in Uttar Pradesh to use advanced technology for reducing such conflicts. The Dudhwa buffer zone spans over 70,000 hectares and borders the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. It hosts a variety of carnivores and herbivores, including leopards, tigers, elephants, deer, bears, and wild boar. The leopard population, which tends to avoid tiger habitats, has risen sharply-from 21 in 2022 to 51 in 2025. In the past two days, two people have been killed in separate incidents in the Dudhwa buffer zone: Chandrika Prasad (62) of Sampurnanagar was attacked by a tiger on Friday night, and Tinkal (10) of Patihan village was killed by a leopard on Thursday night.Despite regular patrols, capturing or tranquilizing problematic animals, and camera surveillance, Dudhwa buffer zone staff struggle to prevent such incidents because their response comes only after an attack. The rise in human-animal conflicts has pushed forest authorities to adopt a technology-based solution that can provide real-time warnings to both officials and nearby residents before a conflict occurs. Acting on directives from the Union forest ministry and the UP government, Dudhwa buffer zone officials prepared a proposal for a technology-based warning and response system. Deputy director Kirti Chaudhary told Hindustan Times that the AI towers would use millimetre-wave radar sensors to detect wildlife and pinpoint their location within a five-kilometre radius, with cane fields or other vegetation not hindering detection. She said the AI cameras would send real-time wildlife movement data to the command-and-control center, which would issue early-warning alerts via SMS and other digital channels to field staff and nearby residents. The system will operate with three alert levels-red, orange, and yellow-based on the animal's proximity. A red alert will be issued if an animal is detected within 1 km, an orange alert within 5 km, and so on, with corresponding response measures activated to prevent conflicts....