Apparatus and method for actively tracking multiple moving objects using a monitoring camera

An apparatus for actively tracking an object is provided. The apparatus includes a camera unit; a motor drive for changing a shooting direction of the camera unit; and a controller for acquiring a first comparative image and a second comparative image in sequence using the camera unit, dividing each of the first and second comparative images into a plurality of sectors, comparing a first sector in the first comparative image with a second sector in the second comparative image, which corresponds to the first sector, detecting a moving direction and a speed of an identical object existing in the first and second sectors, determining an estimated location of the object after receipt of the second comparative image based on the detected moving direction and speed, enlarging a sector corresponding to the estimated location of the object among the plurality of sectors, and capturing a target image.