Elephant-range states of India start celebrating Gaj Yatra elephant conservation campaign

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is partnering the campaign, which will include roadshows across 12 elephant range states of India.

African elephants are listed as “vulnerable” and Asian elephants as “endangered” in the IUCN Red List of threatened species. As per the available population estimates, there are about 400,000 African elephants and 40,000 Asian elephants.

The elephant is considered a National Heritage Animal of India.

On Saturday, which was observed as World Elephant Day, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, formally launched ‘Gaj Yatra’

Dr. Vardhan urged the people to prepare a strategy for a more even distribution of the elephant population in all the states of the country.

The Minister emphasised that an attempt must be made to bring to an end the chapter of man-animal conflict.

He added that a war must be waged against poachers and hunters who harm elephants and other wildlife.

Dr. Vardhan said that an effort would be made to install the models of elephants being carved out from waste material at prominent public places like Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhawan and at the Ministry’s premises in Indira Paryavaran Bhawan.

The Environment Minister, on Saturday, released the All India Census 2017 Report on elephants as also the Agreed Points of Action on Trans-Boundary Conservation of Elephants by India and Bangladesh and a document titled ‘Right of Passage’ on elephant corridors in India.

A compilation, ‘Glimpses of Initiatives Taken for Elephant Conservation in India (2012-2017) based on Parliamentary Questions and Replies’ by ENVIS Centre, WWF-India and the Project Elephant Division, MoEF&CC, was also released.

The Director-General Forest and Special Secretary, MoEF&CC, Siddhanta Das, Director, Project Elephant, R.K Shrivastav, Director, Wildlife Trust of India, Vivek Menon and Prof R. Sukumar also addressed the gathering.

During the period of the campaign, artists and craftsmen will create life-size works on the theme of elephants in places along the route of the roadshow, covering 12 states that have wild elephants, using local art and craft. Specially fabricated vehicles will be deployed to display these on pre-determined routes with campaigners.

The ‘Gaju’ mascot, which was released by the Ministry in 2012, will helm the campaign.

World Elephant Day is an annual global event celebrated across the world on August 12, dedicated to the preservation and protection of elephants.

It was conceived in 2011 by Canadian filmmakers Ms. Patricia Sims and Mr. Michael Clark of Canazwest Pictures and the Secretary- General of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation of Thailand, Sivaporn Dardarananda.

Image: Wildlife Trust of India/Facebook