Project Elephant
Project Elephant
Key Takeaway: Project Elephant, launched in 1992, is India’s flagship conservation programme aimed at safeguarding wild Asian elephants and their habitats. Despite significant achievements in habitat protection and conflict mitigation, challenges such as habitat fragmentation, poaching, and human–elephant conflict persist. A network of 33 Elephant Reserves across 14 states underpins long-term conservation efforts.
1. Background and Objectives
Project Elephant is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Its primary objectives are:
Habitat Protection: Secure and manage critical elephant habitats and corridors.
Population Monitoring: Conduct synchronized elephant censuses to track population trends.
Conflict Mitigation: Develop and implement strategies to reduce human–elephant conflict.
Research & Capacity Building: Support scientific studies and train forest personnel.
2. Achievements to Date
Elephant Reserves Established: 33 reserves covering nearly 80,000 sq km in 14 states.
Legal Protections: Elephants listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972; declared National Heritage Animal in 2010.
Population Trends: All-India synchronized estimation in 2017 recorded 29,964 elephants, marking a stable trend since Project inception.
3. Key Conservation Challenges
Habitat Fragmentation: Rapid land–use change has reduced contiguous forests, isolating elephant populations and disrupting migratory routes.
Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC): Crop raiding and property damage lead to retaliatory killings and injuries on both sides.
Poaching and Illegal Trade: Ivory poaching, though reduced, remains a threat in some regions.
Infrastructure Development: Roads, railways, and settlements intersect elephant corridors, increasing collision risks.
Climate Change: Altered rainfall patterns affect forage and water availability, compounding stress on elephant herds.
4. Elephant Reserves: State-Wise List
| State | Elephant Reserve(s) |
|---|---|
| Arunachal Pradesh | Kameng Elephant Reserve |
| Assam | Sonitpur; Dihing-Patkai; Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong; Dhansiri-Lungding; Chirang-Ripu |
| Chhattisgarh | Lemru; Badalkhol-Tamor Pingla |
| Jharkhand | Singhbhum |
| Odisha | Mayurbhanj; Mahanadi; Sambalpur; Baitami; South Odisha |
| West Bengal | Mayurjharna; Eastern Dooars |
| Uttarakhand | Shivalik |
| Uttar Pradesh | Uttar Pradesh; Terai |
| Meghalaya | Garo Hills; Khasi Hills |
| Nagaland | Intanki |
| Karnataka | Mysore |
| Kerala | Wayanad; Nilambur; Anamudi; Periyar |
| Tamil Nadu | Coimbatore; Nilgiri; Anamalai; Srivilliputhur |
| Andhra Pradesh | Rayala |
(Total: 33 Elephant Reserves across 14 states)
5. State-Wise Elephant Population (2017 Census)
| State | Number of Elephants |
|---|---|
| Karnataka | 6,395 |
| Assam | 5,828 |
| Kerala | 3,054 |
| Tamil Nadu | 3,063 |
| Odisha | 1,976 |
| Uttarakhand | 1,839 |
| Meghalaya | 1,754 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 1,614 |
| Jharkhand | 679 |
| Nagaland | 446 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 352 |
| Chhattisgarh | 256 |
| West Bengal | 194 |
| Tripura | 102 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 65 |
| Bihar | 25 |
| Gujarat | 10 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 7 |
| Mizoram | 7 |
| Maharashtra | 6 |
| Total (All India) | 29,964 |
Understand Policy Frameworks: Study the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Project Elephant guidelines.
Analyse HEC Mitigation Models: Examine case studies such as solar fencing and community-based early-warning systems.
Assess Habitat Connectivity: Map and evaluate key corridors like the Nilgiri-Anamalai landscape.
Evaluate Community Participation: Explore success stories of local-stakeholder engagement in Assam and Karnataka.
Link with Broader Biodiversity Goals: Situate elephant conservation within India’s commitments under CBD and CITES.
