Project Elephant-Elephant conservation and more

Project Elephant was introduced to protect and save elephants. Elephants are among the most intelligent of the creatures, with complex consciousnesses that are capable of strong emotions. They are keystone species, playing a crucial role in maintaining the biodiversity of the ecosystems in which they live. They are also the largest terrestrial mammal of India. According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the status of elephants can be the best indicator of the status of the forests of a country as they require food and water in huge quantity that can only be obtained from forests. Elephants have been depicted in mythology, symbolism and popular culture. They are both revered in religion and respected for their prowess in war. Ever since the stone age, when elephants were represented by ancient petroglyphs and cave art, they have been portrayed in various forms of art, including pictures, sculptures, music, film, and even architecture. Project Elephant (PE), a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing States in the country for the protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors. Other goals of Project Elephant are supporting research on the ecology and management of elephants, creating conservation awareness among local people, providing improved veterinary care for captive elephants. Objectives of Project Elephant: (MOEF) To protect elephants, their habitat and corridors To address issues of man-animal conflict Welfare of captive elephants The Project is being mainly implemented in 16 States / UTs, viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. Some of the activities: Ecological restoration of existing natural habitats and migratory routes of elephants; Development of scientific and planned management for conservation of elephant habitats and viable population of Wild Asiatic elephants in India; Promotion of measures for mitigation of man-elephant conflict in crucial habitats and moderating pressures of human and domestic stock activities in crucial elephant habitats; Research on Elephant management related issues; Elephant Rehabilitation/Rescue Centers etc. Project Elephant has been formally implementing MIKE (Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants) programme of CITES in 10 ERs since 01.04.2004. These include Shiwalik (Uttaranchal); Eastern Dooars (West Bengal); Mayurbhanj (Orissa); Ripu-Chirang and Dehing-Patkai (Assam); Garo Hills (Meghalaya); Deomali (Arunachal Pradesh); Wayanad (Kerala), Mysore (Karnataka) and Nilgiri (Tamilnadu). Till now 28 Elephant Reserves (ERs) extending over about 61830.08 sq km have been formally notified by various State Governments. Consent for establishment 2 more ERs – Khasi Elephant Reserve in Meghalaya and Dandeli Elephant Reserve in Karnataka has been accorded by MoEF&CC. The inclusion of Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary in Mysore Elephant Reserve has also been approved by the Ministry. There’s even a festival for the elephants. Elephant Festival is a festival celebrated in Jaipur city in Rajasthan. It is held on the day of Holi festival, usually in the month of March. The festival features Elephant polo and Elephant Dance. The Elephant Festival begins with a beautiful procession of bedecked elephants, camels, horses and folk dancers. The owners proudly embellish their elephants with vibrant colours, jhools (saddle cloth) and heavy jewellery. Current state: According to The Hindu, Elephant herds are known to migrate across 350-500 sq. km. annually but increasingly fragmented landscapes are driving the giant mammals more frequently into human-dominated areas, giving rise to more man-animal conflicts There are about 101 elephant corridors across India. A comparative study shows that about 74% corridors are of a width of one kilometre or less today, compared with 45.5% in 2005, and only 22% corridors are of a width of one to three kilometres now, compared with 41% in 2005, pointing to how constricted corridors have become in past 12 years. (The Hindu) About 8 corridors have been secured on an urgent basis, and to increase awareness the MoEFCC, WTI and other organizations are planning ‘Gaj Yatras’. Elephants are precious animals. So much so that when forest elephants eat, they create gaps in the vegetation. These gaps allow new plants to grow and create pathways for other smaller animals to use. They are also one of the major ways in which trees disperse their seeds; some species rely entirely upon elephants for seed dispersal. (save the elephants)

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