Accidental encounters with tigers have historically led to fatalities and injuries, making rapid medical response and efficient crisis communication a critical need.
In a landmark initiative aimed at improving human safety and promoting coexistence with wildlife, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), in collaboration with the South 24 Parganas Forest Division and Lokamata Rani Rashmoni Mission (LRRM), has launched a GPS-enabled SOS Alarm System and a Speed-Boat Community Support Unit in the Kultali Block of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve. Supported by IUCN, KFW Development Bank, and German Cooperation, the project was officially inaugurated today at Jharkhali on the occasion of Global Tiger Day 2025.
This life-saving initiative targets the high-risk zones of the Raidighi Range, where local fishers and crab harvesters frequently venture into tiger territory for their livelihood. Accidental encounters with tigers have historically led to fatalities and injuries, making rapid medical response and efficient crisis communication a critical need.
The newly launched GPS-enabled SOS devices have been distributed among selected licensed resource harvesters who frequent these high-risk areas. With just a single button press, the device can instantly alert both the West Bengal Forest Department and WTI, triggering a rapid response. This includes the deployment of a specially-equipped speed boat manned by a trained medical professional, WTI staff, forest beat personnel, and a member of the Primary Response Team (PRT).
This mobile rapid response unit carries essential first aid and life-saving medicines and is capable of providing immediate medical assistance and evacuation to the nearest healthcare facility. Its deployment marks a significant advancement in community safety mechanisms in one of India’s most ecologically vulnerable regions.
Pioneering Project
Prosenjit Sheel, Project Head of WTI’s Sundarban Tiger Project, emphasized the vital role of local healthcare partnerships in making the project viable. “The Block Medical Officer of Health (BMOH) of Kultali Block has extended her guidance in this initiative and has ensured the provision of all basic medicine required to operate the Speed Boat Community Support unit effectively. Her involvement, along with that of local healthcare workers, is integral to the success of this coordinated effort,” he said.
Dr. Abhishek Ghoshal, Manager & Head, Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation at WTI, underscored the broader vision of the initiative. “Our broader goal is to address human-tiger negative interactions through simple yet innovative solutions by enhancing the safety of existing livelihood practices in one of India’s most ecologically fragile landscapes. This initiative, in collaboration with the State Forest Department and local communities, is about saving lives of both humans and tigers, thereby strengthening human-tiger coexistence in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve.”
Echoing this sentiment, Ms. Nisha Goswami, IFS, Divisional Forest Officer of the 24 Parganas (South) Division, remarked, “The unique challenges of conservation in the Sundarbans demand innovative, community-centric approaches. WTI’s dual initiative of GPS-enabled alarm system and speed-boat based community support, combining technology, rapid medical response, and inter-agency collaboration, strengthens our ability to protect both people and wildlife. We are together committed to caring for both the wildlife and people. This is a crucial step toward fostering long-term coexistence in this fragile ecosystem.”
With this pioneering project, stakeholders hope to create a model of integrated conservation and community welfare that can be replicated across similar conflict-prone landscapes in India and beyond.
Image: Hippopx
