Project Elephant & Elephant Reserves in India
Project Elephant was launched in 1992 by the Government of India Ministry of Environment and Forests to provide financial and technical support to wildlife management efforts by states for their free-ranging populations of wild Asian Elephants. The project aims to ensure the long-term survival to the populations of elephants in their natural habitats by protecting the elephants, their habitats and migration corridors. Other goals of Project Elephant are supporting the research of the ecology and management of elephants, creating awareness of conservation among local people, providing improved veterinary care for captive elephants
Objectives
Project Elephant (PE) was launched by the Government of India in the year 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with following objectives:
- To protect elephants, their habitat & corridors.
- To address issues of man-animal conflict.
- Welfare of captive elephants
Activities
Financial support is being provided to major elephant bearing States in the country. 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. Main activities under the Project are as follows:
- Ecological restoration of existing natural habitats and migratory routes of elephants are builder
- 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;
- Strengthening of measures for the protection of Wild elephants from poachers and unnatural causes of death;
- Research on Elephant management related issues;
- Public education and awareness programmes;
- Eco-development
- Veterinary care
- Elephant Rehabilitation/Rescue Centers
| S.No. | Reserve Name | Range | Estd. | State | Total area (km²) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayurjharna | East-Central | 2002 | West Bengal | 414 | 96 |
| 2 | Singhbhum | East-Central | 2001 | Jharkhand | 4,530 | 371 |
| 3 | Mayurbhanj | East-Central | 2001 | Orissa | 3.214 | 465 |
| 4 | Mahanadi | East-Central | 2002 | Orissa | 1,038 | 464 |
| 5 | Sambalpur | East-Central | 2002 | Orissa | 427 | 336 |
| 6 | Baitarni | East-Central | Orissa | 1,755 | 108 | |
| 7 | South Orissa | East-Central | Orissa | 1,049 | 138 | |
| 8 | Lemru | East-Central | Chhattisgarh | 450 | ||
| 9 | Badalkhol-Tamorpingla | East-Central | Chhattisgarh | 4,216 | 138 | |
| 10 | Kameng | Kameng-Sonitpur | 2002 | Arunachal Pradesh | 1,892 | |
| 11 | Sonitpur | Kameng-Sonitpur | 2003 | Assam | 1,420 | 612 |
| 12 | Dihing–Patkai | Eastern-South | 2003 | Assam | 937 | 295 |
| 13 | South Arunachal | Eastern-South | Arunachal Pradesh | 900+ | 129 | |
| 14 | Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong | Kaziranga | 2003 | Assam | 3,270 | 1,940 |
| 15 | Dhansiri-Lungding | Kaziranga | 2003 | Assam | 2,740 | 275 |
| 16 | Intanki | Kaziranga | 2005 | Nagaland | 202 | 30 |
| 17 | Chirang-Ripu | North Bengal-Greater Manas | 2003 | Assam | 2,600 | 658 |
| 18 | Eastern Dooars | North Bengal-Greater Manas | 2002 | West Bengal | 978 | 300-350 |
| 19 | Garo Hills | Meghalaya | 2001 | Meghalaya | 3,500 | 1,047 |
| 20 | Khasi Hills | Meghalaya | Meghalaya | 1,331 | 383 | |
| 21 | Mysore | Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats | 2002 | Karnataka | 6,724 | 4,452 |
| 22 | Wayanad | Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats | 2002 | Kerala | 1,200 | 636 |
| 23 | Nilgiri | Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats | 2003 | Tamil Nadu | 4,663 | 2,862 |
| 24 | Rayala | Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats | 2003 | Andhra Pradesh | 766 | 12 |
| 25 | Nilambur | Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats | 2002 | Kerala | 1,419 | 281 |
| 26 | Coimbatore | Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats | 2003 | Tamil Nadu | 566 | 329 |
| 27 | Anamalai | Anamalai-Nelliampathy-High Range | 2003 | Tamil Nadu | 1,457 | 179 |
| 28 | Anamudi | Anamalai-Nelliampathy-High Range | 2002 | Kerala | 3,728 | 1,547 |
| 29 | Periyar | Periyar-Agasthyamalai | 2002 | Kerala | 3,742 | 1,100 |
| 30 | Srivilliputtur | Periyar-Agasthyamalai | 2003 | Tamil Nadu | 1,249 | 638 |
| 31 | Shivalik[5] | North-Western | 2003 | Uttarakhand | 5,405 | 1,610 |
| 32 | Uttar Pradesh | North-Western | 2009 | Uttar Pradesh | 744 | |
| Project Elephant | Total | 69,583 | 21,370 |
There are a total 88 elephant corridors present in India. In 2011, the ministry of environment and forest launched the campaign ‘hathi mere sathi’, the purpose was to improve the conservation of elephants in india. There were around 8 countries participating in this conservation including India, Congo, Indonesia, Kenya, Botswana, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania.