WEBSITE BY AQEEL FAROOQI

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ABOUT PROJECT ELEPHANT

Project Elephant was launched in February, 1992 to assist states having free ranging populations of wild elephants to ensure long term survival of identified viable populations of elephants in their natural habitats. The project is being implemented in 12 states, viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamilnadu, Uttaranchal and West Bengal. States are being given financial as well as technical assistance in achieving the objectives of the Project. Help is also provided to other states with small populations of elephants for the purpose of census, training of field staff and mitigation of human-elephant conflict.

Main activities

  • Strengthening of measure for protection of wild elephants from poachers;

  • Development of scientific and planned management for conservation of elephant habitats and viable population of wild Asiatic elephants in India;

  • Ecological restoration of existing natural habitats and migratory routes of elephants;

  • Promotion of measures for mitigation of man-elephant conflict in problem areas and moderating pressures of human and live stock on crucial elephant habitats;

  • Eco-development;

  • Veterinary care;

  • Research on elephant issues relating to elephant conservation;

  • Public education and awareness programme; and

  • Capacity building of field staff, mahouts and veterinarians.

Achievements

  • An amount of Rs. 7.66 crores (Rs.2.28 crores for North-Eastern States) was released (till 31st December, 2002) to the elephant range states for the purpose of habitat management, mitigation of man-elephant conflict, payment of ex-gratia relief for loss of life human and crop caused by wild elephants, strengthening of anti-poaching measures, capacity building of the field staff, registration of domesticated elephants using microchips etc.

  • Fourteen elephant reserves have been set up during the year (till December 2002) which include Singhbhum (Jharkhand); Garo Hills (Meghalaya); Mayurbhanj, Mahanadi and Sambalpur (Orissa); Eastern Dooars and Mayurjharna (West Bengal); Wayanad, Nilambur, Anamudy and Periyar (Kerala); Kameng (Arunachal Pradesh); Mysore (Karnataka) and Shiwalik (Uttaranchal).

  • Training programmes for officers and field staff of elephant reserves were organised at Bandipur (Karnataka), Rajabhatkhawa (West Bengal), Kaziranga (Assam) and Dehradun (Uttaranchal).

  • Arrangements for refresher courses for elephant veterinarians were made with the help of the Assam Agricultural University (Guwahati) and Kerala Agricultural University (Trichur).

  • Elephant census was carried out in the States of Orissa, Jharkhand, Uttaranchal, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh.

 

(Extracted from the MoEF Annual Report 2003)