Wildlife Conservation Must Involve Local Communities, Especially in Managing Human-Wildlife Conflict: Bhupender Yadav
Dehradun (Utrakhand) : Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, chaired the 21st Steering Committee meeting of Project Elephant at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) in Dehradun. The meeting brought together senior officials from elephant-range states, scientists, field experts, and representatives of leading conservation institutions to review the progress of Project Elephant and discuss future strategies for elephant conservation in India.
A key focus of the meeting was on human-elephant conflict, which continues to pose a major challenge to both human safety and elephant conservation. Discussions emphasized the importance of community participation in managing such conflicts effectively.
Communities Are Central to Conservation
Highlighting the critical role of people living in conflict-prone areas, Shri Yadav stressed,
“Engaging local communities, especially those in regions severely affected by human-wildlife conflict, is essential for successful wildlife conservation efforts.”
He also called for better working conditions and social security for frontline forest personnel and ground-level conservation workers.
Coordinated Action to Reduce Conflict
To address human-wildlife conflict more effectively, Shri Yadav urged for coordinated efforts involving Indian Railways, Ministry of Power, NHAI, and mining developers. He emphasized the need for widespread awareness campaigns and public outreach, with key institutions like SACON (Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History), IIFM (Indian Institute of Forest Management), WII (Wildlife Institute of India), and state forest training institutions playing an active role in implementation.
He also called for systematic collection and analysis of data on elephant deaths due to train collisions and the sharing of knowledge and best practices between states, institutions, and experts.
Major Updates and New Initiatives
Key updates presented during the meeting included:
Completion of regional action plans for managing human-elephant conflict in southern and northeastern India.
Surveys covering 3,452.4 km of sensitive railway tracks, identifying 77 high-risk segments.
Progress on the DNA profiling of captive elephants, with 1,911 profiles completed across 22 states.
Completion of Phase-I of coordinated elephant population assessment in the Northeast, involving the collection of over 16,500 dung samples.
Development of a Model Elephant Conservation Plan (ECP) for the Nilgiri Elephant Reserve, expected to be finalized by December 2025.
Key Documents Released
Several important documents were released during the session:
A report on mitigating elephant-train collisions.
A 23-year study on human-elephant conflict in Assam, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
Guidelines for safe tusk trimming procedures for captive elephants.
The latest edition of ‘Trumpet’, the quarterly newsletter of Project Elephant.
Looking Ahead: World Elephant Day & More
Preparations are underway for World Elephant Day celebrations on 12 August 2025 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where the Gaj Gaurav Awards will also be presented. Upcoming priorities include:
Finalization of the Nilgiri ECP.
Launch of a three-year elephant tracking study in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of elephant reserves with CAMPA support.
Development of a comprehensive conservation strategy for the Ripu-Chirang Elephant Reserve, focusing on the Udalguri landscape.
The committee reaffirmed its commitment to a community-based, traditional knowledge-driven, inclusive approach to wildlife conservation, especially in addressing the challenges of human-elephant conflict.
