Throughout India, the elephants are running out of space and time. The spread of human settlements, plantations, farming, mining and railways is squeezing elephant populations into decreasing pockets of forest. Those that survive are forced into areas of human activity, if not just to pass between forest patches, then directly to feed on crops. The once harmonious relationships between elephants and people are breaking down, and both are getting killed all too frequently when conflict becomes extreme. We need Solutions to save the elephants and people.

We welcome your ideas that could help in

• Mitigating impact of linear infrastructures on elephants
  • Saving the elephants from being knocked down by moving trains
  • Facilitating unhindered passage across Highways and Canals
  • Preventing elephant electrocution by power lines

• Preventing encounter between humans and elephants
  • Early warning mechanisms to alert people in vicinity
  • Keeping elephants away from home/agriculture field

• Protecting Elephant Habitats
  • Effective mechanisms for securing corridors and legal protection
  • Restoring degraded and lost habitats
  • Protecting habitats – beyond the Protected Area mechanism
  • Effective mechanism to prevent elephant poaching/trade
  • Minimizing dependency of people on forest

• Managing the growing elephant population

• Taking Gajah to Prajah:
  • Creating a constituency for elephant conservation
  • Innovative mechanism of supporting people affected by crop depredation

• Improving the welfare of elephants in captivity

• Any other ideas that saves the life of elephants and people in wild and in captivity

Contest

1. If you have a solution to any of these above problem comforting elephant conservation in India that you would like to present to the Policy makers, Corporates, media and Public, then please submit a brief concept note (not more than 1000 words). All concept note should be in English and should have full contact details of the entrants (name, address, email and mobile phone number).
2. Entrants must send entries as required in the contest announcement in order to be eligible.
3. All winners of select ideas will be notified of their win by public announcement and via e-mail.
4. All winners will be invited to participate in GajMahostav in New Delhi between 12 and 15 August, 2018 and will also be provided the opportunity to present their idea and the organiser will take care of their travel and stay.
5. The best three concepts will be awarded during the function.
6. Policy makers, conservation Organisations and others would have full right to use your ideas/ concept for the conservation of elephants in India and other Range States.
7. You agree to hold WTI and its officers, directors, employees, agents, successors and assigns harmless from and against – and hereby waive any right to pursue – any claims of any nature that arise in connection with WTI’s or others use of the idea/concept submitted to WTI.
8. All entries should be submitted by 31^st July 2018 positively to prajna@wti.org.in, Sandeep@wti.org.in Entries received after the deadline set forth in the contest announcement are ineligible, null and void. WTI will not be responsible for and will not consider incomplete or incorrect entries.

Your ideas can help provide long-term conservation of elephants in India. #JoinOurHerd to save them.