India's Elephant Corridors Surge to 150, West Bengal Leads with 26, Reveals Union Environment Ministry Report

In a groundbreaking revelation, a new report by the Union Environment Ministry has unveiled a staggering network of at least 150 elephant corridors across India, spanning 15 range-states and encompassing four prominent elephant-bearing regions. 

The report, aptly titled "Elephant Corridors of India," sheds light on the remarkable expansion of these vital passageways for elephants in the country.

As per the report, West Bengal has emerged as the leader in this remarkable endeavour, boasting a remarkable 26 such crucial land strips dedicated to the gentle giants. 

This significant revelation marks a substantial increase from the central government's 2010 Elephant Task Force report, commonly referred to as the Gajah report, which had identified 88 corridors across the nation.

Elephant corridors, essentially land passages facilitating elephant migration between viable habitat patches, are a focal point of conservation. However, corridors leading elephants into human-dominated areas without connectivity to suitable habitats are not recognized as bona fide elephant corridors.

The report emphasizes the gravity of demographic isolation and genetic concerns, both looming threats to elephant populations. Thus, protecting these corridors is paramount in conservation strategy. India is home to approximately 30,000 elephants, constituting a substantial 60% of the global elephant populace.

The meticulous compilation of this report stemmed from a collaborative effort between the Union Environment Ministry's Project Elephant, state forest departments, and received vital technical support from the Wildlife Institute of India. The arduous process of ground validation for these 150 elephant corridors spanned nearly two years. West Bengal stood out as the front-runner, contributing over 17% of these crucial land patches.

Among the four regions of India known for their elephant populations, the east-central region takes the lead with 52 corridors, trailed by the northeast with 48, the southern region with 32, and the northern region with a mere 18 corridors.

Notably, 126 of the reported corridors lie within state borders, while 19 traverse two states. An additional six trans-national corridors between India and Nepal, primarily situated in Uttar Pradesh, are of utmost importance.

Furthermore, the report underscores regions where elephants have recently expanded their ranges, underscoring the critical need to assess habitat viability and employ data-driven approaches for corridor identification. 

In northeastern states, characterised by relatively smaller elephant populations, collaborative efforts between state forest departments and Project Elephant hold promise for elucidating corridor statuses in the near future.

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