Indian Government Launched M-STrIPES

The Indian Government launched M-STrIPES, a software-based monitoring system at tiger reserves across the country on 14 April 2010. The objective is to strengthen patrolling and surveillance of the endangered tigers. The Environment Minister, Jairam Ramesh declared that M-STrIPES would be rolled  out at tiger reserves in Corbett (Uttarakhand), Ranthambore (Rajasthan), Kanha (Madhya Pradesh), Bhadra (Karnataka), Anamalai (Tamil Nadu) and Nagarjunasagar (Andhra Pradesh) over the next two months. Accordingly forest guards in tiger reserves would be equipped with personal digital assistants (PDAs) and Geographical Positioning System (GPS) devices to capture data relating to tiger sightings, wild life crime, deaths and ecological monitors among others while patrolling. The software system would map the patrol routes of the forest guards and monitor distribution of different animal species among others.