State PCS - Uttarakhand (UKPSC)

• 27 Jun 2025

Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant

Why in News? 

The 21st Steering Committee Meeting of Project Elephant at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA), Dehradun, chaired by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, focused on addressing the critical issue of human-elephant conflict.  

• The meeting reviewed ongoing initiatives, including action plans for conflict management, and emphasized the involvement of local communities in conservation efforts.

Key Points 

• Elephant:  
  • Elephant is the Natural Heritage Animal of India. 
  • Elephants are considered a "Keystone Species" as they play a critical role in maintaining the balance and health of forest ecosystems. 
    • They are known for their exceptional intelligence, boasting the largest brain size of any land animal. 
  • The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) is found in the central and southern Western Ghats, Northeast India, eastern India and northern India and in some parts of southern peninsular India.  
  • It is included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES).  
    • Asian elephants (Indian) are classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, and poaching. 
• Project Elephant: 
  • Project Elephant was launched by the Government of India in the year 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with following objectives: 
    • To protect elephants, their habitat & corridors 
    • To address issues of man-animal conflict 
    • Welfare of captive elephants 
  • The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provides financial and technical support to major elephant range states in the country through Project Elephant. 
• Shivalik Elephant Reserve in Uttarakhand: 
  • It was established in 2002 as part of the "Project Elephant" initiative.  
  • It's known for having one of the highest densities of elephants in India.  
  • The reserve encompasses several protected areas, including Rajaji National Park, Corbett Tiger Reserve, and Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary.

Note: World Elephant Day is observed annually on 12th August to raise awareness about the conservation status and challenges faced by Asian and African elephants in the wild. 

• In 2025, the celebration will take place in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where the prestigious Gaj Gaurav Awards will also be presented to honour contributions to elephant conservation.