Tadoba Tiger Reserve Pilots Sensor-Based System for Automated Waterhole Management

Key facts

• The Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra has introduced a sensor-based system on a pilot basis to regulate water levels at wildlife waterholes.
• The automated system utilizes a level sensor, controller, and relay to start and stop pumps when water levels fall below a predefined limit or reach the upper level.
• TATR manages approximately 130 natural water sources and 350 artificial waterholes, many of which are supported by solar-powered pumping systems.
• The technology is designed to reduce water loss, limit unnecessary groundwater extraction, and aid groundwater conservation.
• TATR has divided its core area into grids and plans to provide waterholes in each grid to improve the spatial distribution of water sources.