Bengaluru, June 24, 2015: The fourth consultative workshop on elephant corridors was conducted in Bengaluru, Karnataka on June 24, 2015. This workshop was jointly organised by WTI, Project Elephant, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change and Karnataka Forest Department.

The workshop was chaired by Shri Ajay Mishra (IFS), Additional PCCF, Karnataka. Dr R Sukumar, Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, Bangalore; Dr. AJT John Singh, Former Dean, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun; Dr MD Madhusudan, Scientist, Nature Conservation Trust, Mysore; Mr Kalidasan, Member of Tamil Nadu State Wildlife Board were also present for the meeting. Apart from them, the Additional PCCF, Project Elephant, Karnataka; Chief Conservator of Forests, Field Directors/DCFs of Bannerghatta National Park, BRT Tiger Reserve, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Dandeli Elephant Reserve, few Range Forest Officers, wildlife biologists, lawyers and WTI team attended the workshop.

Shri Ajay Mishra gave an overview on human–elephant conflict, corridors and issues and challenges in Karnataka. He highlighted that about 345 acres of revenue forest was acquired and included in the Bandipur NP to widen the elephant corridor. “Karnataka Forest Department is securing more private lands for conservation of corridors,” said Ajay Mishra.

WTI’s Ramkumar making a presentation on elephant corridors

Prof Sukumar briefed on the corridors and how the state and various NGOs have secured them. The present challenges are better legal prints on governing and managing elephant reserves and ensuring protection of key elephant corridors. We have to focus on legal protection measures rather than land securement and other methods,” said Dr Sukumar.

Dr AJT Johnsingh shared his knowledge of elephant corridor issues and challenges in various states of India. He said, “In South India, the corridors are in fortunate situation as compared to other states of India. If elephants and tigers move away from Bannerghatta to Brahmagiri, it is possible, because it is connected.”

Dr Sandeep Tiwari, Deputy Director, WTI, gave a presentation on the concept of corridor and the various forms of corridors as well as the various models used to protect and secure the corridors. Processes followed to groundtruth the corridors were also explained. Mr K Ramkumar, Assistant Manager, WTI, presented the draft report comprising present status, threats and conservation plan for seven corridors of Karnataka (including new one) for open discussion.

All the existing corridors and new corridor were discussed in great details and approved with few minor changes. Apart from the new corridors identified by WTI, Karnataka Forest Department also suggested to add four new elephant corridors for the state. These four corridors were scrutinized carefully after the workshop and found that two corridors have the potential to be declared as new corridors.