Cochin, November 13, 2013: International Fund for Animal Welfare-Wildlife Trust of India’s (IFAW-WTI) efforts of elephant conservation in India received a royal boost as Prince Charles visited the Vazhachal Forest Range in Kerala and discussed threats plaguing the pachyderm and other wildlife, along with the support needed to conserve the remaining wild population. The meetings took place in Cochin yesterday with the IFAW-WTI team along with officials of the Forest Department and representatives from other wildlife centric NGOs working in the region as well as UK based charity Elephant Family.

“Unfortunately the Prince’s schedule did not allow him the luxury of a whole day’s tour in the forest and in the 20 minutes he was there he wasn’t lucky enough to spot an elephant. He had been quite eager to see one in the wild. However we did manage to show him a leech!” jovially remarked Vivek Menon, Executive Director of WTI, who had accompanied the Prince on his sojourn into the Vazhachal Forest Range. The sessions happened during the Royal Couple’s four-day excursion in Kerala which is part of their third and longest visit to India.
 

On a more serious note he added, “While NGOs like ours in India strive to make the country a better place for wildlife, support from international corners like the Royal Family, and organisations like International Fund for Animal Welfare and Elephant Family, go a long way in helping us secure viable habitats. We have secured a number of corridors in India including the Wayanad in Kerala, Siju-Rewak in Meghalaya and Kollegal in Karnataka. This could not have been achieved without the vital support of the international community who continue to help us secure the crucial right of passage for the country’s national heritage animal.”

“Securing the Wayanad Corridor with the Wildlife Trust of India has been one of Elephant Family’s greatest achievements. It’s been especially rewarding to see all the wildlife flooding back into the area. Having shown that the fortunes of the Asian elephant can be reversed in this way, we hope that many more elephant corridors can be secured while there is still time,” said Mark Shand, Co-founder and Chairman, Elephant Family commenting on the support provided by the organisation for these giants in the country.
 

There are only around 27000 Asian elephants left in the wild in India. With increasing human population resulting in a spill over into viable habitat for wildlife, there is a mounting pressure on the elephants, necessitating crucial interventions, specifically securing corridors for the movement of these majestic animals.

“Getting international support, through Elephant Family, IUCN Netherlands and World Land Trust, has helped us immensely in the process of securing the corridor in Wayanad with IFAW-WTI. With the Prince’s visit we hope that the issues plaguing Asian elephants, especially in the country, get the much needed global attention,” said Kerala’s Principle Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, V Gopinathan.

Over the past decade with the aid of organisations like Elephant Family, Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund (JTEF), IUCN Netherlands, World Land Trust and International Fund for Animal Welfare, WTI has assisted the State Forest Departments to secure crucial elephant corridors in Kerala, Karnataka, Meghalaya and are in the process of securing more in Assam and Uttarakhand.

Elephant corridors are linear landscapes which connect two or more patches of viable habitat which were historically connected; a conduit for elephants.

“Over time one will find human settlements in the middle of these conduits which then become an obstruction for the wild animals. Securing a corridor becomes essential to not only protect the wild animals but also serves as an adequate measure to safeguard the human population as well out of the forest and into a more secure area,” said Dr Sandeep Tiwari, Head of the Wild Lands Division for WTI.

The corridor securement often involves facilitating voluntary relocation of settlements within. For instance while securing the Wayanad corridor in Kerala, WTI purchased land owned by the villagers either by payment of the agreed value or by providing suitable alternate land and rehabilitation packages.

Other innovative means have also been deployed in securing corridors, including facilitating creation of Village Reserve Forests by local communities in Garo Hills, Meghalaya.