Kerala-Based Leopard Tech Labs Innovates to Combat Wildlife Crime with Cutting-Edge Technology

Wildlife crime has long been a significant issue in India, a nation renowned for its rich biodiversity and expansive forests covering over 24 percent of its territory. Despite various government regulations and conservation efforts, the number of wildlife crimes has remained alarming. In 2020, there were over 1,000 documented cases, and in 2023, Tamil Nadu alone reported 150 incidents, with Karnataka recording 70 cases of wildlife crimes and 17 poaching events.

Amid these challenges, two tech enthusiasts from Kerala, Allen Shaji and Sobin Matthew, have pioneered a new approach to combat wildlife crimes. Founders of Leopard Tech Labs, they developed the Hostile Activity Watch Kernel (HAWK), a groundbreaking software tool designed to assist forest departments in tracking and handling wildlife crime cases efficiently.

Both Allen and Sobin, graduates from Amalguri College of Engineering in 2016, initially pursued typical career paths. However, Allen’s encounter with conservationists spurred a new passion for protecting wildlife using technology. Recognizing the heavy reliance on manual record-keeping in conservation efforts, the duo set out to fill the technological void in this sector.

Leopard Tech Labs was founded in 2017, and their first project, Mapper, opened doors to further collaboration with conservation organizations. Partnering with the Wildlife Trust of India and the Kerala Forest Department, they launched HAWK—a comprehensive offence management system. This software digitizes the entire documentation process, enabling efficient data input, report generation, and streamlined case monitoring. HAWK’s tools provide insights into cases such as wildlife deaths due to electrocution or poaching and allow for data analysis through Excel, PDF, maps, and graphical formats.

A key advantage of HAWK is its ability to provide real-time updates and facilitate efficient court submissions, ensuring quicker case resolutions. The software’s integration with higher-level monitoring allows officials to assess case statuses and take prompt actions.

Leopard Tech Labs has expanded its services beyond HAWK, developing products like SARPA, an app for snake awareness and rescue, and Jumbo Radar, which tracks elephants outside protected areas. Their WildWatch tool helps manage human-wildlife conflicts and predicts periods of increased risk through heat maps and data analysis.

The company’s partnerships with various NGOs and government bodies—including IUCN, IFaw, WTI, and state forest departments—underline its commitment to using technology for wildlife conservation and fostering coexistence between humans and wildlife.

Reference:

thebetterindia.com