Different criticisms have been raised about the recently published “Elephant Corridors of India, 2023” report by the central government. The main discrepancies revolve around the definition and categorization of elephant corridors, potential increase in human-elephant conflicts due to expansive corridors and the growing incidents of elephant deaths.
Corridor Definition Inconsistencies
According to critics, the significant value initially attached to corridors has somewhat been eroded. There’s a noted tendency to designate any area where elephants move as corridors, leading to a considerable increase in the number of elephant corridors. This development has seen the classification of landscapes and habitats as corridors in the report.
North and Northeast Corridor Discrepancies
Some quarters have opined that while certain regions in West Bengal are considered suitable for elephants due to smaller forest patches, majority of the areas that elephants traverse in South Bengal are dominated by agriculture. Despite these observations, the report proposes linking these agricultural areas to other elephant landscapes. Critics suggest that this method deviates from the original corridor intent and could lead to escalated human-elephant conflicts.
Rising Elephant Mortality Rates
The expansion of elephant ranges, as critics argue, has also led to an uptick in the number of elephant deaths. Most of these deaths are due to electrocution and instances of falling into wells which present serious dangers to the elephants.
Project Elephant Directives on Elephant Corridors
In 2005-06, Project Elephant issued directives aimed at state governments regarding elephant corridors. These directives stated that corridors within forest areas must strictly adhere to the rules outlined in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Further, areas involving revenue and private lands were instructed to follow the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, effectively classifying them as eco-sensitive areas.
Understanding Elephant Corridors
Elephant corridors are strips of land that facilitate the movement of elephants between two or more favorable habitats. For ecological balance and survival, these corridors are crucial to elephants.
The “Elephant Corridors of India, 2023” Report Highlights
The report highlighted an increase of 62 new corridors, marking a significant 40% increase since 2010. Today, India has 150 corridors across the nation. According to the report, West Bengal hosts the highest number of elephant corridors with 26, making up 17% of the total corridors. The East Central region has 35% (52 corridors), the North East region follows with 32% (48 corridors), Southern India registered 21% (32 corridors), and Northern India has the least with 12% (18 corridors).
Elephants have expanded their ranges to include areas such as the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, southern Maharashtra bordering Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh within the Sanjay Tiger Reserves and Bandhavgarh, and northern Andhra Pradesh, allowing movement from Odisha.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ) Prelims
In the 2020 prelims examination, there were questions on Indian elephants, which included facts about the leadership of elephant groups, gestation periods, and regional elephant populations that needed to be answered correctly. The focus of the examination indicates the growing importance of conservation knowledge in national service examinations.
Last Modified: February 22, 2024