No State can block traditional routes of elephants: Supreme Court

 Why in News?

The Supreme Court recently directed the Centre to conduct a nationwide survey of elephant corridors and take measures to ensure the free movement of wild elephant herds across States, without human settlements or other obstructions blocking their traditional routes.

The Court was hearing an ongoing writ petition concerning human-elephant conflict, which had also sought restrictions on the use of fireballs, spikes and other harmful methods to drive elephants away.

About Elephant corridors

Elephant corridors are natural movement pathways connecting two or more elephant habitats. They enable elephants to move between fragmented forests in search of food, water, breeding grounds and seasonal habitats.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has identified and documented elephant corridors across India.

Corridors provide habitat connectivity and allow elephant populations to move between otherwise isolated forest patches.

They also facilitate genetic exchange and dispersal, helping maintain genetic diversity and long-term population viability.

Disruption of corridors can force elephants towards agricultural fields, villages and human settlements, thereby increasing human-elephant conflict and mortality risks.

Elephant corridors are increasingly disrupted by:

• Highways and railway lines
• Canals and power lines
• Industrial development
• Mining activities
• Expansion of human settlements and agriculture

Such linear infrastructure can obstruct traditional elephant routes and fragment habitats.

Elephant Landscapes in India

India has four major elephant population landscapes:

1. Western Ghats
2. North-Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra floodplains
3. Shivalik Hills and Gangetic plains
4. Central India and Eastern Ghats

More than 50% of India’s elephant population is distributed across the Western Ghats, particularly in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The reported elephant population includes approximately:

• Karnataka – 6,013
• Tamil Nadu – 3,136
• Kerala – 2,785

India has around 22,446 elephants according to the figures cited.

Elephant Corridor Mapping

The government’s 2023 elephant corridor mapping exercise identified 150 elephant corridors across 15 States covering the four major elephant landscapes.

West Bengal recorded the highest number, with 26 identified corridors across its northern and southern regions.

Recent studies on human-elephant conflict in Southern India have also identified bottlenecks within corridors, highlighting areas where habitat connectivity is particularly vulnerable.

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