Project Elephant in India – List of Elephant Reserves

“Project Elephant” is a program in India aimed at conserving and protecting the Asian elephant, which is the largest land mammal found in the country. Elephants are an important part of India’s cultural and ecological heritage, and they play a significant role in maintaining the biodiversity and ecological balance of the regions they inhabit.

The Government of India’s Ministry of Environment and Forests established Project Elephant in 1992 to offer financial and technical assistance to states’ attempts to manage their free-ranging populations of wild Asian elephants. The Indian Elephant is regularly seen in 16 of India’s 28 states, with a focus on the Southern Western Ghats, North-Eastern India, Eastern India, Central India, and Northern India. In India, there are 33 elephant reserves.

The main objectives of Project Elephant include:

• • • Conservation of elephants and their habitats: The program aims to protect the natural habitats of elephants and create measures to prevent habitat fragmentation and degradation, which are major threats to their survival.

• • • Addressing human-elephant conflict: As human populations expand and encroach upon elephant habitats, conflicts between humans and elephants arise. Project Elephant seeks to find ways to mitigate these conflicts to ensure the safety of both people and elephants.

• • • Strengthening monitoring and research: The project emphasizes the importance of studying elephant populations and their behavior to gain a better understanding of their needs and challenges.

• • • Creating awareness and public participation: Raising awareness about the importance of elephant conservation and encouraging public participation in efforts to protect them is a crucial aspect of the project.

• • • Capacity building: The project aims to build the capacity of various stakeholders, including frontline staff, local communities, and enforcement agencies, to effectively handle conservation and protection efforts.

Project Elephant is implemented by the Government of India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with state governments and other relevant agencies. Various measures such as protected areas, corridors, and eco-sensitive zones are established to safeguard elephant habitats and promote their well-being.

List of Elephant Reserves in India:

1. Nilgiri Elephant Reserve – Located in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala.
2. Periyar Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Kerala.
3. Anamalai Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Tamil Nadu.
4. Shivalik Elephant Reserve – Located in the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
5. Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Odisha.
6. Singhbhum Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Jharkhand.
7. Badalkhol-Tamorpingla Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Chhattisgarh.
8. Lemru Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Chhattisgarh.
9. Rayala Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
10. Kameng Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
11. South Arunachal Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Arunachal Pradesh
12. Sonitpur Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Assam.
13. Dihing-Patkai Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Assam.
14. Kaziranga – Karbi Anglong Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Assam.
15. Dhansiri-Lungding Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Assam.
16. Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Assam.
17. Mysore Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Karnataka.
18. Dandeli Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Karnataka.
19. Wayanad Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Kerala.
20. Nilambur Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Kerala.
21. Anamudi Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Kerala.
22. Garo Hills Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Meghalaya.
23. Intanki Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Nagaland.
24. Singphan Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Nagaland.
25. Mahanadi Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Odisha.
26. Sambalpur Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Odisha.
27. Coimbatore Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Tamil Nadu.
28. Srivilliputtur Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Tamil Nadu.
29. Agsthyamalai Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Tamil Nadu.
30. Uttar Pradesh Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
31. Terai Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
32. Mayurjharna Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of West Bengal.
33. Eastern Dooars Elephant Reserve – Located in the state of West Bengal.