Importance of elephant corridors in reducing conflict, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court of India directed the Centre to conduct a fresh survey of elephant corridors, emphasizing that these pathways cannot be blocked.
• The directive came during a hearing on a writ petition concerning human-elephant conflict, specifically addressing the use of harmful methods to deter elephants.
• The court asked the Centre to outline steps taken to prohibit "coercive measures" that obstruct the natural movement of elephants.
• India's last major mapping exercise in 2023 documented 150 elephant corridors across 15 states.

Detailed Insights:

• Asian elephants are highly mobile, with male elephants having home ranges between 50 and 300 sq km, which can expand based on habitat and resources.
• Elephant corridors are vital movement pathways connecting natural habitats, crucial for facilitating elephant migration and preventing conflict.
• Disrupting these corridors can lead to increased human-elephant conflict and pose a significant threat to the animals' survival.
• Elephant movements are influenced by seasonal and spatial distribution of food, water, and habitat, with climate change also playing a role in migration patterns.
• Major disruptions to corridors include infrastructure development like highways, railway lines, canals, and industrial or mining activities.
• India has four principal elephant population landscapes: the Western Ghats, North-Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra floodplains, Shivalik Hills and Gangetic plains, and Central India and Eastern Ghats.
• Habitat fragmentation due to changing land use, plantations, and farmland fencing is a significant issue, particularly in the Western Ghats and Shivalik and Brahmaputra plains.
• The Central India and Eastern Ghats region faces challenges from habitat loss and mining, leading to elephants expanding their range into states like Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
• Well-conserved corridors are essential for genetic exchange and dispersal, maintaining population diversity, and providing access to resources, thereby reducing elephants' reliance on croplands.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Elephant Corridors: Narrow strips of land connecting two large habitats, facilitating elephant movement and genetic exchange.
• Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC): Negative interactions between humans and elephants, often resulting from habitat loss, corridor disruption, and competition for resources.
• Home Range: The area an animal or group of animals regularly uses for food, water, shelter, and breeding.