GPS study aims to reduce human-animal conflicts in Assam, Pg II

Key Highlights:

• A five-year GPS satellite tracking study was conducted in Assam to gather data on wild elephant movements and mitigate human-elephant conflicts.
• The study, a collaboration between the Assam Forest Department and WWF-India, tracked four female-led herds and a solitary male elephant.
• It focused on high-conflict districts of Udalguri, Sonitpur, and Biswanath, located on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River.
• The findings were released in a report titled Tracking the Giants: Movement and Habitat-Use Patterns of GPS-Collared Elephants in Assam during the 72nd Wildlife Week.
• Assam's elephant population is estimated at 4,149, according to the 2025 Synchronous All-India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021-25.

Detailed Insights:

• The study generated over 38,000 GPS locations, providing high-resolution data on seasonal elephant movements across diverse landscapes.
• It identified Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, Behali Wildlife Sanctuary, and Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary as crucial elephant habitats.
• Tea plantations were found to serve as significant movement pathways and secondary habitats, often leading to increased human-elephant interactions.
• Elephant home ranges expand during the paddy cropping season, a period directly associated with higher levels of human-elephant conflict.
• Since 2016, human-elephant conflicts in Assam have tragically resulted in 1,147 human fatalities and the loss of 246 elephants.
• The study's insights are intended to guide conservation planning, strengthen wildlife-friendly infrastructure, and promote safer coexistence.
• This initiative aligns with the broader objectives of Project Elephant, launched in 1992, which aims to protect elephants, their habitats, and migration corridors, and address human-elephant conflict.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• GPS Telemetry: A method utilizing Global Positioning System devices to track and monitor the movement patterns of animals.
• Habitat Fragmentation: The process where large, continuous habitats are divided into smaller, isolated patches, often due to human activities.
• Wildlife Corridors: Natural or artificial pathways that connect fragmented habitats, allowing wildlife to move between them.
• Project Elephant: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 1992 by the Government of India for the protection of elephants, their habitats, and corridors.