Baripada, Nov. 15: Similipal Tiger Reserve authorities are planning to procure eco-drone aircrafts with night vision cameras to fortify surveillance in hostile areas of the sanctuary.

At present, the sanctuary depends on foot patrolling, which is affected by adverse weather conditions.

The Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) authorities plan to have a fleet of three drone aircrafts and deploy them by the end of December. Each of these drones would cost around Rs 2.5 lakh, said a senior STR official.

They are awaiting clearance from the director-general of civil aviation before procuring the drones.

Honorary wildlife warden Bhanumitra Acharya said: "There is a need to deploy drones to maintain adequate surveillance in some areas of the sanctuary. This would help contain poaching."

Tiger sanctuaries in Ranthombore and Bandipur already use such drones to track poachers.

Ajit Satpathy, the deputy director of STR, said: "A proposal to procure drones is in the pipeline. Some sanctuaries already use them."

The authorities also plan to set up four more anti-poaching camps in and around the tiger reserve. The proposed sites are Thakurmunda, Upper Barhakamuda, Jenabill and Lower Barhakamuda. These camps would be secured with elephant-proof trenches.

"We have a plan to protect the prohibited areas from trespassing villagers by closing the conventional routes. This will stop unwanted human activity and make wild animals secure," said Satpathy.