Day 56 – Q 4.What are ‘elephant corridors’? Why are they important? What have kept them under stress? Examine.
4. What are ‘elephant corridors’? Why are they important? What have kept them under stress? Examine.
‘हाथी कॉरिडोर’ क्या हैं? वे क्यों महत्वपूर्ण हैं? उन्हें तनाव में क्या रखा है? जांच करें।
INTRODUCTION
Elephant herds are known to migrate across 350-500 sq. km. annually. Elephant corridors are narrow strips of land that connect two large habitats. There are around 1950 elephants left in India, more than 40 elephants lose their lives every year. Recently, there were incidences of Elephants being killed by train accidents, in all this scenario-the elephant corridors become very important for effective migration of elephants.
BODY
‘Right of Passage’- a study published by the Wildlife Trust of India in collaboration with Project Elephant and the U.K.-based NGO Elephant Family, identifies and records details pertaining to 101 elephant corridors across India. Of these 101 corridors, 28 are located in south India, 25 in central India, 23 in northeastern India, 14 in northern West Bengal and 11 in northwestern India. Almost 70% of the 101 corridors are regularly used, 25% are occasionally used, and 6% rarely.
The corridors are important because
- It reduces man and animal conflict.
- It would ensure not restricted mobility of elephants.
- It would help in monitoring of elephants if they are wounded or sick
- It ensures safe mobility in times of emergencies like Forest Fires etc.
- They help in enhancing the gene pool diversity.
- It would be helpful in monitoring of elephants, if they are sick or under any kind of stress.
- It would help in effective migration and then leading to increase of population through interbreeding.
However, in spite of such pivotal role of “Elephant Corridors”, and Elephant being an “Endangered” animal, but also an umbrella species- the elephant corridors are under “Stress” due to –
- Human intervention in the corridors- construction of resorts.
- No effective monitoring throughout the year.
- No precautions taken to reduce elephant deaths by man-elephant conflict.
- Construction of highways without proper planning.
- Elephants facing attrition due to deforestation.
- Elephants deaths due to electrocution, by coming in contact with electricity grids.
- Lack of proper guidelines and norms or non-implementation of norms mentioned by Wildlife authorities.
- Lack of coordination between various departments, like – the Railways and forest department.
- Less technological monitoring equipment like the -high technology camera.
The steps, that can be undertaken to reduce the stress that is surrounded around the “Elephant corridors” can be as follows-
- Acquiring of lands from the land owners, near the corridors by the Government.
- Government ensuring the safe passage of elephants by any fulfilling any infrastructural demands.
- Corridor must be fenced adequately with bushes.
- Encouraging the private players to contribute by – Corporate Social responsibility.
- The measures suggested by the Supreme court to be undertaken- like removing illegal resorts around the elephant corridors.
- Huge awareness drives to be undertaken by the Government, to ensure that people are sensitive about the importance of elephant and cooperate in their survival.
- Attaching a religious angle to their survival, like- the association with Lord Ganesha.
- Effectively making use of the E8 forum.
Some of the steps taken in this context for elephant on domestic front are-
- The Gaj Yatra, run in collaboration with Project Elephant, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, is a national celebration of this magnificent and ancient Indian being. It brings art, literature, science and innovation together to highlight the plight of elephants and point to solutions that would afford them their Right of Passage.
- Project Elephant was launched in 1992 by the Government of India Ministry of Environment and Forests to provide financial and technical support of wildlife management efforts by states for their free ranging populations of wild Asian Elephants.
- West Bengal government + Rapid Response Force (RRP) plan = response team that would be equipped with forest official, personnel with animal rescue training and equipment
- “Airavat”, initiative- to reducing Man-Elephant conflict.
- Radio collar and technological devices for real-time monitoring in Assam and west Bengal elephant corridors.
CONCLUSION
Elephants being one of the most important “Umbrella Species”, their conservation is very instrumental in maintaining the ecological balance, maintaining the food web and also to make sure the effective conservation of several other species. Therefore, it is important to conserve elephants; also India being home for more than 50% elephants of the world have a special responsibility in this regard.
BEST ANSWER – Mahismati
