View source for Project Elephant

{{Short description|Indian government elephant conversation programme}}{{Infobox government agency
| type            = Elephant conservation
| logo            = Project Elephant logo.jpg
| logo_caption    = Logo of Project Elephant
| formed          = 1992
| parent_department = [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change]], [[Government of India]]
| website         = https://moef.gov.in/
}}
{{Wildlife of India}}
'''Project Elephant''' is a [[wildlife conservation]] movement initiated in [[India]] to protect the [[endangered species|endangered]] [[Indian elephant]]. The project was initiated in 1992 by the [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change]] of the [[Government of India]] to provide financial and technical support to the states for [[wildlife management]] of free-ranging elephant populations. The project aims to ensure the long-term survival and viability of elephant populations in their natural habitats by protecting the animals, their habitats and [[Wildlife corridor|migration corridors]]. The project also facilitates research of ecology and management of elephants, creating awareness of conservation among local people, and providing veterinary care for captive elephants.

== History and objectives ==
Project Elephant was initiated in 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) by the [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change]] of the [[Government of India]]. The project was initiated to protect the [[Indian elephant]] and its habitats and to establish dedicated elephant reserves for sustaining elephant populations.<ref name="PE">{{cite web|title=Project Elephant|publisher=Government of India|url=https://moef.gov.in/moef/division/forest-divisions-2/project-elephant-pe/introduction/index.html|access-date=1 April 2024}}</ref> The project was established to provide financial and technical support to the states with free ranging elephant population for the protection of the animals, their habitats and [[Wildlife corridor|migration corridors]]. It was also intended to address [[Human–wildlife conflict|human-animal conflict]] and promote welfare of captive elephants.<ref name="ENVIS">{{cite web|url=https://wiienvis.nic.in/Database/eri_8226.aspx|title=Elephant Reserves|publisher=ENVIS, Government of India|access-date=1 April 2024}}</ref> The project has been implemented in 22 [[States and union territories of India]]. The project also undertakes activities aimed at constructing infrastructure and other facilities for conservation like veterinary care, field force training, necessary capture and translocation of wild elephants. With regards to captive elephants, the project aims to ensure the well being of such elephants including providing veterinary care, training of mahouts and supervisory staff.<ref name="PE"/> 

[[File:Beautiful_Corbett_Park.jpg|thumb|left|Pictured are elephant herds from [[Jim Corbett National Park]] in India]]

Another important aim of the scheme is to prevent [[poaching]] of wild elephants. Project Elephant has been formally implementing MIKE (Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants) programme of [[CITES]] since January 2004. It facilitates taking suitable measures like deployment of patrolling squads, intelligence gathering, maintaining data on illegal hunting and to determine factors responsible for poaching and to take appropriate measures to mitigate the same.<ref name="PE"/> Project Elephant also facilitates various research activities through the [[Central Rice Research Institute]] (CRRI) such as developing crop varieties not favored by elephants, developing elephant-proof storage bins for food grains and developing elephant repellents in order to reduce human-animal conflicts.<ref name="PE2">{{cite report|url=https://zoosprint.zooreach.org/index.php/zp/article/view/2945/2741|title=Achievements of Project Elephant|publisher=Zoos' Print, volume 20|date=September 2005|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> It has also engaged in research regarding disease-management in captive elephants and efficacy of immuno-contraceptives on domesticated elephants with [[Assam Agricultural University]], monitoring and tracking of elephants with [[Wildlife Institute of India]].<ref name="PE2"/> Project Elephant also promotes [[eco-tourism]] for generating extra revenue for the welfare of captive breeding programmes for elephants, organizes courses for veterinarians and mahouts dealing with domesticated elephants and in promoting awareness on elephant conservation across communities.<ref name="PE2"/>

== Elephant population ==
{{Further|List of Indian states by elephant population}}
The first exclusive exercise for enumeration of wild elephants in the elephant reserves was conducted in 2005. This exercise also sought to experiment with two sampling methods, viz. [[Blocking (statistics)|Block sampling]] and [[Line-intercept sampling|Line transect]]-Dung Count. As of the last elephant count in 2017, the population of wild elephants in the country has increased to 29,964 as compared to 27,669-27,719 in 2007.<ref name="PE"/> As of 2017, the estimated wild population in India account for nearly three-fourths of the extant population.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/india-has-27312-elephants-census-shows/article19504528.ece|title=India has 27,312 elephants, census shows|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=16 August 2017|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> 

There are about 138 identified elephant corridors in India with the majority of the elephant population in India is restricted to four general areas.<ref name="Sukumar">{{cite book|last=Sukumar|first=R.|year=1993|title=The Asian Elephant: Ecology and Management|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-43758-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moef.nic.in/sites/default/files/ecorridors_glance.pdf|title=Elephant Corridors of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181027185642/http://www.moef.nic.in/sites/default/files/ecorridors_glance.pdf|archive-date=27 October 2018}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Elephant corridors in India
!Region
!Areas
!Corridors
!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
!Elephant population (2017)
!Percentage of elephant population <br/> (2017) 
|-
|[[Northeast India|North-East]]
|From the eastern border of Nepal in northern [[West Bengal]] through western [[Assam]] along the Himalaya foothills as far as the [[Mishmi Hills]], extending into eastern [[Arunachal Pradesh]], the plains of upper Assam, and the foothills of [[Nagaland]], to the [[Garo Hills]] of [[Meghalaya]] through the [[Khasi Hills]], to parts of the lower [[Brahmaputra River|Brahmaputra]] plains and [[Karbi Anglong plateau|Karbi Plateau]]; isolated herds occur in [[Tripura]], [[Mizoram]], [[Manipur]], and in the [[Barak Valley]] districts of Assam
|58
|41,000
|10,139
|33.8%
|-
|[[East India|East]]
|In [[Odisha]], [[Jharkhand]], and in the southern part of [[West Bengal]], with some animals wandering into [[Chhattisgarh]]
|54
|23,500
|3,128
|10.4%
|-
|[[North India|North]]
|At the foot of the Himalayas in [[Uttarakhand]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]], ranging from [[Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary]] to the [[Yamuna River]]
|8
|5,500
|2,085
|7.0%
|-
|[[South India|South]]
|Eight populations are fragmented from each other in northern [[Karnataka]], in the crestline of Karnataka–[[Western Ghats]], in [[Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary|Bhadra]]–[[Malnad]], in [[Brahmagiri (hill)|Brahmagiri]]–[[Nilgiris]]–[[Eastern Ghats]], in [[Nilambur]]–[[Silent Valley National Park|Silent Valley]]–[[Coimbatore]], in [[Anamalai]]–[[Parambikulam]], in [[Periyar National Park|Periyar]]–[[Srivilliputhur]], and one in [[Agasthyamalai]]
|46
|40,000
|14,612
|48.8%
|}

== Elephant reserves ==
As of 2023, 33 Elephant Reserves (ERs) extending nearly {{convert|80778|km2|sqmi}} across 14 states have been formally notified.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1986211|title=33 Elephant Reserves established in 14 major elephant States|date=14 December 2013|publisher=[[Government of India]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|url=https://moef.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Elephant-Reserve-of-India-an-atlas_final.pdf|title=Elephant Reserves in India, an atlas|publisher=[[Government of India]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite report|url=http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/ETF_REPORT_FINAL.pdf|title=Elephant Task Force report|publisher=[[Government of India]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>

{{static row numbers}} 
{| class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers static-row-header-text"
|+Elephant reserves in India (2023)
|-
! Reserve Name !!  Range  !! {{tooltip|Estd.|Established}} !! State !! Total area <br/> (km²) || Population <br/> (2005)
|-
|[[Mayurjharna Elephant Reserve|Mayurjharna]] || East-Central || 2002 || [[West Bengal]] || 414 || 96
|-
|[[Singhbhum]] || East-Central || 2001 || [[Jharkhand]] || 13,440 || 371
|- 
|[[Simlipal National Park|Mayurbhanj]] || East-Central || 2001 || [[Orissa, India|Orissa]] || 3,214 || 465
|- 
|[[Mahanadi]] || East-Central || 2002 || [[Orissa, India|Orissa]] || 1,038 || 464
|- 
||[[Sambalpur]] || East-Central || 2002 || [[Orissa, India|Orissa]] || 427 || 284
|-
|[[Badalkhol Wildlife Sanctuary|Badalkhol]]-[[Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary|Tamorpingla]] || East-Central || 2011 || [[Chhattisgarh]] || 1,143 || NA
|-
|[[Chhattisgarh|Lemru]] || East-Central || 2022 || [[Chhattisgarh]] || 1,995 || NA
|-
|[[Kameng Elephant Reserve|Kameng]] || Kameng-Sonitpur || 2002 || [[Arunachal Pradesh]] || 1,892 || NA
|-
|[[Sonitpur]] || Kameng-Sonitpur || 2003 || [[Assam]] || 1,420 || 612
|-
|[[Dihing]]-[[Patkai]] || Eastern-South Bank || 2003 || [[Assam]] || 937 || 295
|-
|[[Arunachal|South Arunachal]] || Eastern-South Bank || 2008 || [[Arunachal Pradesh]] || 1,957 || 129
|-
|[[Kaziranga]]-[[Karbi Anglong District|Karbi Anglong]] || Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong-Intanki || 2003 || [[Assam]] || 3,270 || 1,940
|- 
|[[Mora Dhansiri River|Dhansiri-Lungding]] || Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong-Intanki || 2003 || [[Assam]] || 2,740 || 275 
|-
|[[Intanki National Park|Intanki]] || Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong-Intanki || 2005 || [[Nagaland]] || 202 || 30
|-
|[[List of wildlife sanctuaries of India|Singphan]] || Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong-Intanki || 2018 || [[Nagaland]] || 24 || NA
|-
|[[Chirang, Assam|Chirang-Ripu]] || North Bengal-Greater Manas || 2003 || [[Assam]] || 2,600 || 658
|- 
|[[Dooars|Eastern Dooars]] || North Bengal-Greater Manas || 2002 || [[West Bengal]] || 978 || 300-350
|- 
|[[Garo Hills]] || Meghalaya  || 2001 || [[Meghalaya]] || 3,500 || 1,047
|- 
|[[Bandipur National Park|Mysore]] || Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats || 2002 || [[Karnataka]] ||  8,056 || 4,452
|-
|[[Dandeli]] || Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats || 2015 || [[Karnataka]] ||  2,321 || NA
|-
|[[Waynad|Wayanad]] || Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats || 2002 || [[Kerala]] || 1,200 || 636
|- 
|[[Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary|Nilgiri]] || Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats || 2003 ||[[Tamil Nadu]]|| 4,663 || 2,862 
|- 
|[[Kotturu, Srikakulam|Rayala]] || Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats || 2003 || [[Andhra Pradesh]] || 766 || 12
|- 
|[[Nilambur Elephant Reserve|Nilambur]] || Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats || 2002 || [[Kerala]] || 1,419 || 281
|- 
|[[Coimbatore Elephant Reserve|Coimbatore]] || Brahmagiri-Nilgiri-Eastern Ghats || 2003 || [[Tamil Nadu]] || 566 || 329
|-
|[[Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park|Anamalai]] || Anamalai-Nelliampathy-High Range || 2003 || [[Tamil Nadu]] || 1,457 || 179 
|- 
|[[Eravikulam National Park|Anamudi]] || Anamalai-Nelliampathy-High Range || 2002 || [[Kerala]] || 3,728 || 1,726 
|-
|[[Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve|Agasthyamalai]] || Periyar-Agasthyamalai || 2022 || [[Tamil Nadu]] || 1,198 || NA
|- 
|[[Periyar National Park|Periyar]] || Periyar-Agasthyamalai || 2002 || [[Kerala]] || 3,742 || 1,100
|- 
|[[Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary|Srivilliputtur]] || Periyar-Agasthyamalai || 2003 || [[Tamil Nadu]] || 1,249 || 638 
|-
|[[Sivalik Hills|Shivalik]] || North-Western || 2003 || [[Uttarakhand]] || 5,405 || 1,510
|-
|[[Amangarh Tiger Reserve|Uttar Pradesh]] || North-Western || 2009 || [[Uttar Pradesh]] || 744 || NA
|-
|[[Dudhwa National Park|Terai]] || North-Western || 2022 || [[Uttar Pradesh]] || 3,072 || NA
|-
!colspan=4|Total
!80,778
!20,391
|}

==See also==
*[[List of Indian states by elephant population]]
*[[Project Tiger]]
*[[Project Dolphin (India)|Project Dolphin]]
*[[Project Cheetah]]
*[[Mela shikar]]
*[[Khedda]]

==References==
{{reflist}}{{Elephants}}
[[Category:Wildlife conservation in India]]
[[Category:Conservation-reliant species]]
[[Category:Elephant conservation]]
[[Category:Conservation projects]]
[[Category:Elephants in India]]