Project Elephant

Why in News?

The Environment Ministry completed Phase-I of a synchronised elephant population census in Northeast India under Project Elephant, surveying 3,452 km of railway lines to identify high-risk zones for mitigation and improve conservation planning for the species’ habitats.

Description:

• Launched: 1992
• Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
• Objective: To ensure the protection of elephants and their habitats, address issues of human-elephant conflict, and ensure welfare of captive elephants.

Key Goals:

• Protect wild elephant populations.
• Conserve elephant habitats and corridors.
• Reduce human-elephant conflicts.
• Support research and veterinary care for elephants.
• Train frontline staff in elephant conservation.

Coverage in India:

• Elephant Reserves: 33 notified reserves across India.
• Elephant Corridors: 150 identified corridors to ensure safe passage for migration.
• Note: Elephant reserves lack independent legal protection unless they overlap with existing Reserve Forests or Protected Areas.

Recent Initiatives:

• Project REHAB (Reducing Elephant-Human Attacks using Bees):
  • Uses bee-fences to deter elephants from entering human settlements.
  • Aims to reduce conflict and retaliatory killings.

Related Conservation Status:

• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I species → highest legal protection.
• Convention on Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix I → strictest protection.
• IUCN Status: Asian Elephant – Endangered.

India’s Elephant Population:

• ~29,964 (as per 2017 census).
• India hosts ~60% of all Asian elephants.
• Highest numbers in Karnataka, followed by Assam and Kerala.
• Sathyamangalam forest division has the highest concentration among protected areas.

Threats:

• Ivory trade.
• Habitat loss and fragmentation.
• Human-elephant conflict.
• Interstate and transnational wildlife trafficking.

Related Global Initiatives:

• World Elephant Day: 12th August (awareness).
• MIKE Programme (Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants):
  • Global initiative tracking elephant mortality trends.
  • Supports conservation in Asia and Africa.

La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2025 preparation.

FOLLOW US ON:

◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam

◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS

◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/

GET IN TOUCH:

Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/

or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140

OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020

Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524,  Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081

Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040