Elephas maximus is found in the central and southern Western Ghats, north-east India, eastern India, and northern India, as well as some parts of southern peninsular India. It is listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, as well as Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES). It is found in 16 of the country's 28 states and is becoming more common across its distributional range. Its population in 2007 was estimated to be between 27,657 and 27,682, while the population in 2012 was estimated to be between 27,785 and 31,368. According to the most recent count in 2017, India had 29,964 elephants. In this article, we will discuss regarding Project Elephant which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Aim of Project Elephant

Following are the aims of Project Elephant:

• Elephants, their habitat, and corridors must be protected.
• To address man-animal conflict issues.
• Proper welfare of domesticated elephant.

Objectives of Project Elephant

• Ecologically restoring elephants' natural habitats and migratory routes.
• Mitigation of increasing human-elephant conflicts in critical habitats, as well as moderating the pressures of human and domestic stock activities in critical elephant habitats.
• Developing scientific and planned management measures for elephant conservation.
• The Elephant Project in India is also concerned with protecting elephants from poachers and other unnatural causes of death, as well as preventing illegal ivory trade.
• Elephant issues are being researched, and public awareness and education programmes are being developed.
• Elephant eco-development and veterinary care.
• It also aims to maintain health care and the breeding of domesticated elephants.

Elephant Corridors

• An elephant corridor is a stretch of forested (or otherwise) land that connects larger habitats with elephant populations and serves as a conduit for animal movement between the habitats.
• This movement aids in species survival and reproduction.
• In India, 88 elephant corridors have been identified.
• There were 20 corridors in south India, 12 in north western India, 20 in central India, 14 in northern West Bengal, and 22 in north-eastern India out of a total of 88.
• Elephants regularly use 77.3 percent of the total corridors.
• One-third is of high ecological priority, with the remaining two-thirds of medium priority.
• Elephant habitat fragmentation was severe in northern West Bengal, followed by north western India, north-eastern India, and central India.
• The least amount of fragmentation was observed in South India.
• Sixty-five percent of the corridors in south India are in protected areas or reserved forests.
• 90% of Central India is covered by forest, agriculture, and settlements. Only 10% is completely covered by forest.
• Only 24% of the corridors in India have complete forest cover.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Elephant Corridors

Threats to Elephant Corridors

• Almost 40% of elephant reserves are vulnerable because they are not located within protected parks or sanctuaries. Furthermore, the migration corridors are not legally protected.
• The primary threat is habitat loss due to fragmentation and destruction caused by development activities such as building, roads, railways, vacation resorts, and the installation of solar-powered electric fencing, among others.
• The two "single biggest threats" to elephant corridors in central India are coal mining and iron ore mining.
• Orissa, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh are mineral-rich states, but they also have the most elephant corridors in the country, making them notorious for elephant-man conflicts.
• Elephant ivory from the tusks is extremely valuable, so there is also a serious poaching problem.
• Elephants require large grazing areas, which are in short supply in most reserves. Elephants may seek food elsewhere if protected areas are insufficiently large.
• This frequently leads to conflicts with humans as a result of elephants raiding or destroying crops.
• In 2017, only 22% of corridors had a width of one to three kilometres, compared to 41% in 2005, indicating how constrained corridors have become in the last 12 years.
• Encroachment of Corridors by Humans: In 2017, 21.8 percent of corridors were free of human settlements, compared to 22.8 percent in 2005.
• A railway line runs through approximately 36.4 percent of the elephant corridors in north western India, 32 percent in central India, 35.7 percent in northern West Bengal, and 13 percent in north eastern India.
• Almost two-thirds of the corridors are crossed by a National or State Highway, further fragmenting habitats and impeding elephant movement.
• Canals run through 11 percent of the corridors.
• Agricultural activities now affect two out of every three elephant corridors in the country.
• The lack of regulation of ecotourism is having a negative impact on critical habitats. It primarily affects animals with large home ranges, such as elephants.

Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme

• The MIKE programme, mandated by a CITES COP resolution, began in South Asia in 2003.
• MIKE is an international collaboration that tracks elephant mortality rates, trends, and causes.
• MIKE's data base is used to aid international decision-making regarding elephant conservation in Asia and Africa.
• The data and analyses are also presented at annual CITES meetings and CoP meetings.
• The MIKE Programme has one of its primary mandates to build capacity in elephant range states.
• MIKE is entirely reliant on donations. Since 2001, the European Union has been the largest donor to the MIKE programme in Africa, and since 2017, it has been the largest donor in Asia.

*For detailed notes of this topic, check this link Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme

Haathi Mere Saathi Campaign

• The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) launched the Haathi Mere Saathi campaign in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).
• The campaign was launched in 2011 at the "Elephant- 8" Ministerial meeting in Delhi.
• India, Botswana, the Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Thailand comprise the E-8 countries.
• This public initiative aimed to raise public awareness and foster friendship and companionship between people and elephants.

The Campaign Mascot ‘Gaju’

• The campaign's target audience groups include locals near elephant habitats, youth, and policymakers, among others.
• It plans to establish Gajah (elephant) centres in elephant habitats across the country to raise awareness about their plight and encourage people to get involved in addressing the threats to elephants.
• It also aims to strengthen the capacity of protection and law enforcement agencies on the ground, as well as to advocate for policies that benefit pachyderms (the elephant).
• The campaign "Take Gajah (the elephant) to the Prajah (the people)," which was recommended by the ministry's elephant task force (ETF) last year, aims to raise awareness and encourage people to participate in the conservation and welfare of elephants.

Elephant Task Force

• In 2010, the Union government established the Elephant Task Force (ETF) under the leadership of historian Mahesh Rangarajan to review India's current elephant conservation policy and formulate future interventions.
• In August of that year, the task force issued a comprehensive report titled Gajah: Securing the Future of Elephants in India.
• Dr. Mahesh Rangarajan, a wildlife historian and political analyst, led the ETF.
• Conservation and animal welfare activists, elephant biologists, and a veterinarian were among the other members.
• The Elephant Task Force's primary goal was to develop long-term solutions for elephant conservation.
• In India, there are between 25000 and 29000 elephants in the wild. However, tuskers (male elephants) in India are as endangered as tigers because there are only about 1200 tusker elephants left in India.
• Asian elephants are threatened by habitat degradation, man-elephant conflict, and ivory poaching.

Elephant - 8 Ministerial Meeting

• The E-8 ministerial meeting represented regions with all three elephant species, namely,
  • Elephas maximu (Asian elephant)
  • Loxodonta africana (African Bush Elephant)
  • Loxodonta cyclotis (African Forest Elephant)
• Among the participating countries were policymakers, conservationists, scientists, historians, and art and culture experts.
• The discussions covered a wide range of issues, which were divided into three broad categories:
  • Conservation and science
  • Conservation and Management
  • Conservation from a cultural and ethical standpoint
• The E-8 countries decided to actively pursue a common Agenda to ensure the long-term welfare and survival of all elephant species in all range countries, in addition to resolving to take necessary steps in the direction of elephant conservation.
• The meeting has called on all range countries to work together to achieve this global goal.
• The elephant-50:50 forum is a shared vision of 50 states to promote elephant conservation, management, and welfare over the next 50 years.
• The E-8 countries decided to hold the first International Congress of the E-50:50 forum in early 2013 in New Delhi, India, in order to adopt a common global vision on elephant conservation, management, and welfare across all range countries.

Elephant Conservation

• Plans and programmes to apprehend poachers and murderers.
• Elephant reserves have been declared and established across the states. In Karnataka, for example, there are elephant reserves in Mysuru and Dandeli.
• Cleaning up lantana and eupatorium (invasive species) because they prevent grass from growing for elephants to eat.
• Barricades to keep man and elephant apart.
• Measures to establish a cell to research forest fire prevention.
• Gaj Yatra is a nationwide awareness campaign that celebrates elephants and emphasises the importance of securing elephant corridors.
• The Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme, which began in 2003, is an international collaboration that tracks trends in elephant-related information from Africa and Asia in order to assess the effectiveness of field conservation efforts.
• Project Elephant is a federally funded programme that began in February 1992 to protect elephants, their habitats, and corridors.
  • Through the project, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change provides financial and technical assistance to the country's major elephant range states.
• Even mahouts (people who work with, ride, and care for elephants) and their families play an important role in elephant welfare.
• The Supreme Court (SC) recently upheld the Madras High Court (HC) order on the Nilgiris elephant corridor, confirming the animals' right of passage and ordering the closure of resorts in the area.

Elephant Reserves in India

• According to the government, there are approximately 32 elephant reserves in India.
• Project Elephant established India's first elephant reserve in Jharkhand in 2001.
• According to the 2017 elephant census, the Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Kolhan division, which includes three districts — east Singhbhum, west Singhbhum, and Saraikela-Kharswan — has around 280 elephants spread across 4,529 square kilometres.

Conclusion

The Asian elephant is threatened by habitat loss, conflict, and ivory poaching. These threats are more severe in India, which is home to more than half of the world's Asian elephant population. There are approximately 25000 elephants in the wild in India. Despite this apparent abundance, elephants, particularly tuskers (males), are as endangered in India as tigers. Only about 1200 tuskers remain in the country.

FAQs

Question: What is Project Elephant?

Question: What are the primary objectives of Project Elephant?

Question: In which states of India is Project Elephant implemented?

Question: How does Project Elephant address human-elephant conflict?

Question: What are elephant corridors, and why are they important?

MCQs

1. When was Project Elephant launched?

a) 1980

b) 1992

c) 2001

d) 2010

2. Which of the following states is NOT a major participant in Project Elephant?

a) Assam

b) Karnataka

c) Kerala

d) Rajasthan

3. Which of the following is a key focus area of Project Elephant?

a) Breeding elephants in captivity

b) Reducing human-elephant conflict

c) Promoting ecotourism

d) Increasing the use of elephants in labor

4. What is the role of elephant corridors in Project Elephant?

a) Protecting water sources for elephants

b) Facilitating the movement of elephants between habitats

c) Providing food to elephants

d) Training elephants for domestic use

5. Project Elephant is administered by which ministry of the Government of India?

a) Ministry of Agriculture

b) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

c) Ministry of Tourism

d) Ministry of Rural Development