Project Elephant

Project Elephant was launched in 1992 by the Government of India to assist states having free ranging population of wild elephants. The project was aimed at ensuring long term survival of identified viable population of elephants in their natural habitats. This project is currently implemented in 13 states, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Other duties of Project Elephant are supporting the ecological and management research of elephants, establishing an elephant corridor, creating awareness among local people, and vet care for captive elephants.

References

Hari Vasudevan(ed),India:Physical Environment,NCERT, 2006, ISBN 81-7450-538-5, pg64, chapter-5

Project Elephant (PE), a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched in February 1992 to provide financial and technical support to major elephant bearing States in the country for protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors. It also seeks to address the issues of human-elephant conflict and welfare of domesticated elephants. The Project is being implemented in 13 States / UTs , viz. Andhra pradesh , Arunachal Pradesh , Assam , Jharkhand , Karnataka , Kerala , Meghalaya , Nagaland , Orissa , Tamil Nadu , Uttranchal , Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Main activities of the Project are as follows:

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

* Development of scientific and planned management for conservation of elephant habitats and viable population of Wild Asistic 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;

* Strengthning of measures for protection of Wild elephants form poachers and unnatural causes of death;

* Research on Elephant management related issues;

* Public education and awareness programmes;

* Eco-develoment

* Verterinary care

Starting with a modest Plan Outlay of Rs 23 crores in the 8th Plan , it was enhanced to was Rs 60 crores in the 10th Plan . Yearwise allocation to various States / UTs are as follows:CENTRAL ASSISTANCE UNDER PROJECT ELEPHANT

Note on Project Elephant

Elephent Reserves:

25 Elephant Reserves (ERs) extending over about 58,000 sq kmt have been formally notified by various State Governments till now and consent for establishment of Baitarini ER & South Orissa in Orissa and Ganga-Jamuna (Shiwalik) ER in U.P has been accorded by MOEF. The concerned State Governments are yet to notify these ERs. List of Elephant Reserves with area and elephant population are as follows:

CENSUS IN ELEPHANT RESERVES IN INDIA (2005)Enumeration of Elephants:

* First time an exclusive exercise for enumeration of wild elephants in the ERs was done during Feb-May 2005. This exercise also sought to experiment with two sampling methods, viz. Block Sampling; and Line Transact-Dung Count (with Retrospective Method of Calculating Dung Decay Rate). PE arranged Training of Trainers and also issued detailed guidelines to the CWLWs and the Field Coordinators. 2005 census figures are given in the above table .

* Next All India Enumeration of Elephants will be carried out in 2007, while an ER-specific enumeration will be repeated in 2010.

MIKE sites:

* Project Elephant has been formally implementing MIKE (Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants) programme of CITES in 10 ERs since 01.04.2004. These include Shiwalik (Uttaranchal); Eastern Dooars (West Bengal); Mayurbhanj (Orissa); Ripu-Chirang and Dehing-Patkai (Assam); Garo Hills (Meghalaya); Deomali (Arunchal Pradesh; Wayanad (Kerala), Mysore (Karnataka) and Nilgiri (Tamilnadu).

Research & Consultancy Projects:

* PE has initiated a 36-months research project (2003-04 to 2006-07) with the help of the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack, for developing high yielding varieties of paddy not relished by elephants; developing elephant-proof storage bins for food grains; and developing elephant repellants. The project is being carried out at the CRRI's research stations in Orissa and Assam.

* PE has also initiated two 36 months research projects (2003-04 to 2006-07) with the help of the Assam Agricultural University on 'Disease management in captive elephants' and 'Anatomical studies on the Asian elephant'.

* PE has entrusted the WII with a small project (2004-05 to 2005-06) to study the impact of the relocation of the Gujjar on the flora and fauna of Rajaji National Park.

* PE has also given a small consultancy project (February-July 2005) to the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, to help the West Bengal Forest Department in carrying out a sample-based enumeration of elephants during 2005.

Training of Veterinarians:

o PE has been organizing regular refresher courses for veterinarians dealing with wild and domesticated elephants at Kerala Agricultural University, Trichur and Assam Agricultural University, Guwahati. Microchips

o PE has initiated a progamme for registration of domesticated elephants by using microchips. More than 1000 elephants have been microchipped so far in Assam, Arunchal Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar and Delhi etc. PE has organized necessary training for this purpose and also arranged for supply of standard microchips and readers to all the States known to possess domesticated elephants.

Living with the Giants:

o PE has produced a 58 minutes video-documentary 'Living with the Giants' on elephant conservation in India with the help of the noted film-maker Shri Ashish Chandola. Information Credit - = AkshayDeep Kanda =