Strofes Technologies says it has received a work order to install long-range camera surveillance for cheetah monitoring at Virangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, marking another deployment of Indian-built monitoring technology in a protected area being prepared for the future expansion of Project Cheetah.
The Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), in collaboration with Netherlands-based Addax Data Science, has developed a species-recognition model specifically for the Central Indian landscape. The system has been designed to automatically process camera-trap imagery and classify wildlife into 40 distinct categories.
Ongole cattle take their name from Ongole in present-day Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh. Historically the area formed part of Nellore district, explaining why the breed was also widely known internationally as Nellore cattle.
The Smew was recorded during the waterbird survey covering important wetlands within the sanctuary, including Rowmari, Dondowa and Muamari beels. Forest officials described the sighting as the first documented occurrence of the species in Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary.
The finding has particular importance for India because the newly revalidated species occurs across the southern Himalayan region, including northeastern India, with confirmed genetic records from Assam, as well as Nepal, South Tibet and adjoining Himalayan areas.
The animal has been recorded repeatedly through surveillance cameras deployed by the Karnataka Forest Department after villagers reported pugmarks, livestock losses and possible tiger movement in the Gangavathi region. Forest officials have since intensified monitoring across the landscape and deployed personnel around villages where the tiger has been moving.
Since the National Animal Disease Control Programme was launched in 2019, more than 147.16 crore doses of FMD vaccine have been administered across the country, benefiting around 8.04 crore farmers. Reported FMD outbreaks have fallen from 132 in 2019 to 40 in 2025, while Brucellosis outbreaks declined from 22 to 15 during the same period.
The Nagal pig is a familiar part of rural life in many parts of the state, where pig rearing remains closely linked with household livelihoods, food traditions and local agriculture. Until now, however, the breed existed largely as a locally maintained population without a separate national identity.
The breed is principally associated with the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and adjoining northern Karnataka, particularly the wider belt around Latur and Bidar. ICAR’s National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources officially identifies Maharashtra and Karnataka as the home tract of Deoni cattle.
India is home to around 60% of the world’s wild Asian elephant population. Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted this global responsibility while marking World Elephant Day on August 12.
