Project Elephant

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Project Elephant

Project Elephant

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The elephant is the national heritage animal of India and is protected under Schedule I species of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Considering the primary need to restore elephant habitats and alleviate suffering of both elephants and human population, the Government of India launched “Project Elephant” in 1991-92 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

It aimed to provide financial and technical assistance to the elephant range states of India to protect elephants, their habitats and corridors and address issues of human-wildlife conflict. It also attempted to promote the well-being of elephants kept in captivity.

Objectives

Project Elephant (PE) was launched with the following objectives:
- Protecting elephants, their habitats and corridors
- Addressing issues of human-animal conflict
- Well-being of elephants in captivity
Financial and technical assistance is being provided to the major elephant-bearing states of the country.
The scheme aims to create infrastructure to protect and manage elephants, identify elephant areas, safeguard elephant corridors and address human-wildlife conflict issues.
In addition, special schemes are being formulated to improve the well-being of elephants kept in captivity and enhance their quality of life.

Spatial Coverage

At present, Project Elephant is being implemented in 22 States/Union Territories, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Andaman & Nicobar, Bihar, Punjab, Gujarat and Haryana (where an elephant rescue centre has been established which works on the lines of Project Elephant).

Main activities

The major activities of Project Elephant include:

Identifying elephant habitats and corridors and preparing management plans for their conservation.
Identifying sensitive elephant habitats and corridors and creating infrastructure to protect them.
Formulate and implement plans to resolve problems of human-wildlife conflict.
To encourage the study and research on elephants and their habitats.
To develop competent and trained human resources for conservation and management of elephants.
To prepare plans to ameliorate the situation of human-wildlife conflict with elephants and mitigate its impacts.
To develop special plans and arrangements to improve the welfare of the captive elephant population.

Project Elephant’s activities are aimed not only at protecting elephants but also at maintaining the health and balance of the entire ecosystem. Continuous efforts are being made towards elephant conservation, protecting their habitats and corridors, and addressing issues of human-wildlife conflict.

List of Elephant Reserves

S.No.	Elephant Reserve Area	State	Date of Notice	Total Area (Square Kilometers)
1	Rayala ER	Andhra Pradesh	09.12.2003	766
2	Kameng ER	Arunachal Pradesh	19.06.2002	1892
3	South Arunachal ER	Arunachal Pradesh	29.02.2008	1957.50
4	Sonitpur ER	Assam	06.03.2003	1420
5	Dihing-Patkai ER	Assam	17.04.2003	937
6	Kaziranga – Karbi Anglong ER	Assam	17.04.2003	3270
7	Dhansiri-Lungding ER	Assam	19.04.2003	2740
8	Chirang-Ripu ER	Assam	07.03.2003	2600
9	Baldkhol-Tamorpingala	Chhattisgarh	15.09.2011	1048.30
10	Lemru ER	Chhattisgarh	2022	450
11	Singhbhum ER	Jharkhand	26.09.2001	4530
12	Mysore ER	Karnataka	25.11.2002	6724
13	Dandeli ER	Karnataka	26.03.2015	2321
14	Wayanad ER	Kerala	02.04.2002	1200
15	Nilambur ER	Kerala	02.04.2002	1419
16	Anamudi ER	Kerala	02.04.2002	3728
17	Periyar	Kerala	02.04.2002	3742
18	Garrow Hills ER	Meghalaya	31.10.2001	3500
19	Intaki ER	Nagaland	28.02.2005	202
20	Singhphan ER	Nagaland	16.08.2018	23.57
21	Mayurbhanj ER	Orissa	29.09.2001	3214
22	Mahanadi ER	Orissa	20.07.2002	1038
23	Sambalpur ER	Orissa	27.03.2002	427
24	Eucalyptus ER	Tamil Nadu	19.09.2003	4663
25	Coimbatore ER	Tamil Nadu	19.09.2003	566
26	Anamalai ER	Tamil Nadu	19.09.2003	1457
27	Srivilliputhur ER	Tamil Nadu	19.09.2003	1249
28	Agasthyamalai ER	Tamil Nadu	12.08.2022	1197.48
29	Uttar Pradesh ER	Uttar Pradesh	09.09.2009	744
30	Terry ER	Uttar Pradesh	2022	3049
31	Faridabad ER	Haryana	2022	1025
32	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Andaman and Nicobar Islands	21.03.2007	7519
33	Lakshadweep	Lakshadweep	23.03.2021	30

Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE)

The CITES Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme is a site-based system designed to monitor trends in the illegal killing of elephants, build management capacity and provide information to help range States make appropriate management and enforcement decisions.
The MIKE Programme was established by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) by Resolution 10.10 adopted at the tenth Conference of the Parties in 1997.
Objectives:
- The overall aim of MIKE is to provide information needed for elephant range States and the Parties to CITES to make appropriate management and enforcement decisions, and to build institutional capacity within the range States for the long-term management of their elephant populations.
- MIKE aims to help range States improve their ability to monitor elephant populations, detect changes in levels of illegal killing, and use this information to provide more effective law enforcement and strengthen any regulatory measures required to support such enforcement.
- Four main objectives are:
  - Measuring trends and changes in the illegal killing of elephants
  - Assessing the impacts of decisions under CITES on elephant conservation and management
  - Informing decision making on elephant management, protection and enforcement needs
  - Building capacity in managing elephants and enhancing enforcement
MIKE Sites:
- Around 70 MIKE sites are located in 32 African elephant range states and 28 MIKE sites are located in 13 Asian elephant range states.
- India has ten locations, followed by two in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand, and one in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam
MIKE Sites in India:
1. Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve, Assam
2. Deomali Elephant Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh
3. Dihing Patkai Elephant Reserve, Assam
4. Garo Hills Elephant Reserve, Meghalaya
5. Eastern Dooars Elephant Reserve, West Bengal
6. Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve, Odisha
7. Shivalik Elephant Reserve, Uttarakhand
8. Mysore Elephant Reserve, Karnataka
9. Nilgiri Elephant Reserve, Tamil Nadu
10. Wayanad Elephant Reserve, Kerala

Project Elephant is a vital step in India’s commitment to the long-term survival of the Asian elephant, a keystone species of our forests. Launched in 1992, the project goes beyond protecting just elephants—it focuses on conserving their habitats, addressing human-elephant conflict, and promoting scientific research and public awareness. Through the collaborative efforts of the central and state governments, NGOs, and local communities, Project Elephant continues to play a crucial role in sustaining India’s ecological balance and cultural heritage.

FAQs

Q1. What is Project Elephant?

Project Elephant is a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Government of India to protect elephants, their habitats, and corridors, and to address issues related to human-elephant conflict and captive elephant welfare.

Q2. Why was Project Elephant launched?

It was initiated to ensure the long-term survival of the Asian elephant in its natural habitats by strengthening conservation efforts and minimizing threats such as habitat loss and poaching.

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