Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme – Environment Notes
The CITES Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme is a site-based system designed to monitor trends in elephant illegal killing and build capacity in sites across Africa and Asia. CITES Parties use MIKE data to help them make decisions about elephant conservation and management. In this article, we will discuss the MIKE programme which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.
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Table of Contents |
What is MIKE Programme?
- MIKE programme began in South Asia in 2003, as mandated by CITES COP resolution, with the goal to provide the information needed for elephant range states to make appropriate management and enforcement decisions, as well as to build institutional capacity within range states for long-term elephant population management.
- The MIKE Program is entirely reliant on donations. The European Union has been the MIKE program's most significant donor, funding implementation in Africa since its inception in 2001 and in Asia since 2017.
- The US Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the governments of Japan, the United Kingdom, and China, have all contributed funding.
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| Elephant Corridor | Project Elephant |
| Project Tiger | Project Snow Leopard |
| Project vulture | Project Hangul |
| Project Rhino | Project Dolphin |
| SAWEN | Captive Breeding |
Objectives of MIKE Programme
- To assess the extent and trends of elephant poaching.
- To determine how these trends change over time.
- To identify the factors that are causing or are associated with such changes, and to assess, in particular, the extent to which observed trends are a result of any decisions made by the Conference of the Parties to CITES.
- Under the programme, data are collected from all sites on a monthly basis in the specified MIKE patrol form and submitted to the Sub Regional Support Office for South Asia Programme in Delhi, which assists the Ministry in the program's implementation.
MIKE Sites
- Around 70 MIKE sites are located in 32 African elephant range states and 28 MIKE sites are located in 13 Asian elephant range states.
- India has ten locations, followed by two in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand, and one in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
- MIKE sites are thought to account for half of the African elephant population.
- Asian elephant population estimates and distribution are less well known, but the MIKE Programme has at least one site in each Asian range state.
- Each of these sites reports to the MIKE programme on elephant carcasses discovered at the site throughout the year.
- The type and cause of elephant deaths are among the details gathered and submitted.
Site Commitments
The following are the primary responsibilities that come with being a MIKE site:
- Nominate a site focal point to oversee MIKE-related activities at the site, as well as a national focal point (if not already in place).
- Collecting, synthesising, and transmitting elephant mortality data (and, if possible, patrol effort and coverage data) to the MIKE Programme on a regular basis.
- Performing site-level law enforcement capacity assessments by completing the MIKE Site-level Law Enforcement Capacity Assessment;
- Facilitating independent verification of site data when the MIKE Program requests it.
MIKE Sites in India
- Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve, Assam
- Deomali Elephant Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh
- Dihing Patkai Elephant Reserve, Assam
- Garo Hills Elephant Reserve, Meghalaya
- Eastern Dooars Elephant Reserve, West Bengal
- Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, Odisha
- Shivalik Elephant Reserve, Uttarakhand
- Mysore Elephant Reserve, Karnataka
- Nilgiri Elephant Reserve, Tamil Nadu
- Wayanad Elephant Reserve, Kerala
MIKE Sites in Asia
Conclusion
Elephants are an important species. Their nomadic behaviour, which includes daily and seasonal migrations through their home ranges, is extremely important to the environment. One of the primary functions of the MIKE data analysis is to provide a reliable, robust, and unbiased information base to support discussions and decision making about elephant conservation and management.
FAQs
Question: What does MIKE stand for?
Answer: MIKE stands for Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants, an initiative by CITES for elephant conservation.
Question: When did the MIKE Programme begin?
Answer: The MIKE Programme started in 2003 in South Asia as per CITES resolutions to aid in conservation efforts.
Question: How many MIKE sites exist in India?
Answer: India has 10 MIKE sites, including Shivalik Elephant Reserve and Nilgiri Elephant Reserve.
Question: What is the primary goal of the MIKE Programme?
Answer: The MIKE Programme’s goal is to track illegal elephant killings and provide data to inform conservation policies.
Question: Who funds the MIKE Programme?
Answer: The program is funded by global partners like the European Union, along with governments of Japan, China, and the UK.
MCQs
1. What is the main objective of the MIKE Programme?A. Conservation of tigers
B. Monitoring illegal elephant killings
C. Climate change adaptation
D. Forest conservation
Answer: (B) See the Explanation
The MIKE Programme focuses on monitoring illegal elephant killings to inform conservation efforts.
A. UNEP
B. CITES
C. WWF
D. IUCN
Answer: (B) See the Explanation
The MIKE Programme was launched by CITES to support elephant conservation through data collection.
A. Nilgiri Elephant Reserve
B. Shivalik Elephant Reserve
C. Ranthambore National Park
D. Wayanad Elephant Reserve
Answer: (C) See the Explanation
Ranthambore is a tiger reserve, while Nilgiri, Shivalik, and Wayanad are MIKE elephant reserves.
A. 2001
B. 2003
C. 2010
D. 1999
Answer: (B) See the Explanation
The MIKE Programme started in 2003 in Asia as per CITES guidelines.
A. Nilgiri
B. Wayanad
C. Mysore
D. Shivalik
Answer: (C) See the Explanation
Mysore Elephant Reserve in Karnataka is one of the MIKE sites in India.
GS Mains Questions and Model Answers
Q1: Discuss the significance of the MIKE Programme in global elephant conservation efforts.
Answer: The MIKE Programme plays a crucial role in elephant conservation by monitoring poaching trends and providing actionable data for policy decisions. It helps identify areas with high poaching rates, enabling targeted interventions. The program also strengthens local law enforcement and enhances capacity for elephant population management. The MIKE data is vital in international discussions regarding the ivory trade and wildlife crime, contributing to global conservation efforts.
Q2: Analyze the role of India in the MIKE Programme and its contribution to elephant conservation.
Answer: India is home to ten MIKE sites, contributing significantly to the global effort to monitor elephant poaching. These sites, including Shivalik and Nilgiri, provide crucial data that informs conservation strategies and helps in addressing poaching threats. India’s involvement in the MIKE Programme highlights its commitment to protecting its elephant population, which is critical for both biodiversity and cultural heritage.
Q3: How does the MIKE Programme help in reducing elephant poaching across Asia and Africa?
Answer: The MIKE Programme provides data on illegal killings of elephants, which is used to identify poaching hotspots and trends. By collecting detailed information from MIKE sites, the program helps law enforcement agencies take appropriate actions to curb poaching. The program’s capacity-building initiatives further equip range states to manage and protect elephant populations effectively, thus reducing poaching across Asia and Africa.
Previous Year Questions
1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2019
Question: Which of the following is a site under the MIKE Programme for monitoring elephant poaching?
A. Kaziranga
B. Ranthambore
C. Nilgiri
D. Bandipur
Answer: C
Explanation: Nilgiri is one of the ten MIKE sites in India under the MIKE Programme for monitoring elephant poaching.
2. UPSC CSE Mains 2017 (GS Paper 3)
Question: "Evaluate the impact of the MIKE Programme on combating the illegal killing of elephants in India."
Answer: The MIKE Programme has significantly contributed to curbing illegal elephant killings in India by providing reliable data and strengthening law enforcement in MIKE sites. By identifying poaching trends and supporting local agencies, the programme helps implement more targeted conservation efforts. India’s ten MIKE sites have become critical in monitoring elephant populations, leading to better resource allocation and protection measures.
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