Detangle with Seema Lokhandwala

Send us a textWhat if the forest is speaking and we’ve simply been listening at the wrong frequency? We sit down with engineer-turned-conservationist Seema Lokhandwala, whose team built an AI system that detects infrasonic elephant rumbles to prevent deadly human–elephant encounters. The story winds from a childhood spark to field-tested tech, revealing how empathy, culture, and careful design can turn code into a life-saving early warning.Seema pulls back the curtain on how elephants communicate: low-frequency rumbles beneath human hearing, rich with meaning when paired with body language and context. We talk about the hard parts, data scarcity, false positives in a world where trucks, planes, and wind live in the same frequency band, and the relentless need to earn community trust. She explains herd dynamics, “let’s go” rumbles, and why individual vocal signatures matter for understanding identity and intent. Along the way, we explore the ethics of anthropomorphism, acknowledging the compassion we see without forcing human motives onto wild minds.The conversation tackles the realities on the ground: 600 humans and 100 elephants lost annually in India, families reshaping evenings around the risk of crop raids, and communities that still hold deep reverence for elephants as sacred. Seema argues that technology should be a support system, not a replacement for culture or local wisdom. We examine adaptation on all sides, elephants learning deterrents, humans changing tactics, and models retrained to stay one step ahead. Climate stress enters the frame through physiology and seasonality, with a candid look at why multi-decade datasets are essential and so rare.Seema’s utopian vision is disarmingly simple: people sleep peacefully because an alert arrived early and a gentle deterrent quietly redirected a herd. No heroics, just fewer tragedies. She shares how she channels anxiety into persistence and why passion is built by doing the work, not waiting for a calling to appear. If you care about conservation technology, animal behavior, AI ethics, or how communities and wildlife can share a changing landscape, this is a grounded, hopeful listen.If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves animals and tech, and leave a review so more curious minds can find it. Your thoughts shape future episodes; what should we listen to next?Follow on Instagram @detangle_by_kinjal

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