Landscape Ecology in Elephant Corridors | 09 Apr 2024

Source: DTE

Why in News?

Recently, landscape ecology has become crucial for identifying and restoring elephant corridors effectively, rather than relying solely on expert field knowledge.

• Landscape ecology is the study of the interactions between the temporal (time-related) and spatial (space-related) aspects of a landscape and the organisms within it.
• Landscape ecology became more accurate with the advancements in detecting core areas and corridors are now based on three factors: intensive use of field data; improvement in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and availability of geospatial data and adapted algorithm.

What are Elephant Corridors?

• About:
  • Elephant corridors are strips of land that enable elephant movement between two or more friendly habitats.
• Status of Elephant Corridors in India:
  • The key findings of the Elephant Corridors of India, 2023 Report are as follows:
    • The report highlighted a surge of 62 new corridors, marking a 40% increase since 2010, now totalling 150 corridors across the nation.
    • West Bengal has the highest number of elephant corridors, totalling 26, constituting 17% of the total corridors.
    • The East central region contributes 35% (52 corridors), and the North East region follows as the second-largest with 32% (48 corridors).
    • Southern India registered 32 elephant corridors, representing 21% of the total, while northern India has the lowest count of 18 corridors, amounting to 12%.
    • Elephants have expanded their ranges in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra and southern Maharashtra bordering Karnataka.

Elephants

• Elephants in India:
  • Elephants are keystone species as well as the Natural Heritage Animal of India.
  • India has the largest number of wild Asian Elephants. The elephant population in the country is estimated to be over 30,000.
  • Karnataka has the highest elephant population in India.
• Conservation Status:
  • Convention of the Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
  • International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species:
    • Asian Elephant: Endangered
    • African Forest Elephant: Critically Endangered
    • African Savanna Elephant: Endangered
• Conservative Efforts:
  • India:
    • Gaj Yatra
    • Project Elephant
  • Global:
    • Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme.
    • World Elephant Day