Bengaluru, India – October 27, 2023 – In a bid to effectively combat wildlife crime through innovation and cutting-edge technology, the Karnataka Forest Department has launched a cloud-based information management system—Hostile Activity Watch Kernel (HAWK) developed by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) with the support of Fondation Segré and  NTT DATA.

HAWK stands as a beacon of hope in the fight against wildlife crime and this specialised software system will be the nerve centre of the state forest department as part of its modernisation initiatives. A team from the Karnataka Forest Department’s IT cell headed by Mr. Biswajit Mishra initiated the customisation process of HAWK- (known as ‘Garudakshi’ in the state) approximately one year ago to ensure that the migration from a manual system into a fully digital one is a smooth transition.

The software is used to monitor all aspects of forest and wildlife crime, such as the death of wildlife, suspected criminal activities, and movement of suspicious vehicles. Information regarding these and other incidents of interest from the field are input into a centralised system so that effective and pre-emptive responses, including counteraction, can be initiated.

The state has already started the digitisation of legacy data into the new system which will help the department build various databases covering information about habitual offenders, locations, methods of hunting, etc. So far, over 300 forest officers have undergone online training and this year, there is a plan to train 500 more officials.  At least 5 staff members from each forest range in the state will be trained by an expert team to use the HAWK system and a technical team is in place to provide real-time assistance to the new users.

One 27th October 2023, WTI and NTT DATA partnered with the Forest Department to organised the first field training workshop in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, Karnataka for forest officers of both Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserves. The workshop was inaugurated by the Sub Divisional Officer of Metikuppe, Mr. Rangaswamy, and Mr. Bharath, Range Forest Officer of Antharasanthe Wildlife Range.

The field training was conducted in two distinct phases: theoretical and practical. The theoretical component aimed to familiarise participants with the ‘Garudakshi’ system, its functionalities, and the importance of accurate data input. Following this, the practical training focused on real-world data collection scenarios, ensuring that staff could apply their knowledge effectively. A total of 30 staff members participated in the training, with a clear emphasis on providing a standardised and thorough understanding of the system’s operations.

30 forest officers participated in the HAWK training workshop in Nagarhole | Photo by WTI

Talking about HAWK, Sri. Subhash K. Malkhede, IFS, PCCF (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Karnataka Forest Department expressed that it will help the department to manage and monitor data regarding forest and wildlife crime across the state in real-time, and also increase the overall efficiency of the department in crime management.

Mr. Vivek Menon, Founder and Executive Director of Wildlife Trust of India stated that HAWK is the first centralised wildlife crime management system in India and expressed his appreciation of NTT DATA for their support in bringing this visionary initiative to fruition.

Gauri Bahulkar, Director, Global Corporate Social Responsibility, NTT DATA Service further expressed that NTT DATA was proud to be a part of this exceptional program that empowers wildlife and forest conservation while harmonising perfectly with the company’s mission to foster technological innovations for a sustainable world.

The implementation of the HAWK Legacy module ‘Garudakshi’ represents a significant step forward in digitising forest and wildlife offence management of the Karnataka Forest Department. The field training conducted at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve is a pivotal component of ensuring that the system achieves its intended goals. It is vital that field staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills required to input accurate and reliable data into the system, as this data is integral to tracking criminal networks and compiling pending offence details.