GUWAHATI, Sept 1 � A report of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests have recommended the adoption of the elephant as National Heritage Animal and establishing a National Elephant Conservation Authority to ensure the long term survival of the species which currently faces a range of serious threats.
The document, authored by a group of eminent experts of international stature, focuses on key areas, like threats, protection measures, habitat improvements, and underlines the need for immediate steps. In the days ahead, the recommendations are expected to impact all States with elephant population, which includes Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Taking cognizance of the existing situation, the report acknowledges that Project Elephant has done good work since 1992, but �needs more than an accretion of resources�, if the survival chances of the species are to improve.
It also mentions that systems of mitigating human-elephant conflict require a new thrust and should be made more accountable and transparent. Besides, new knowledge is required to respond to economic expansion and population pressure on elephant habitat.
Dr Bibhab Talukdar of the conservation group Aaranyak who was among those who prepared the report, pointed out that to achieve a better future for the species a National Elephant Conservation Authority is needed, similar to the authority for conservation of tigers. Within the NECA should be a �Consortium of Elephant Research and Estimation (CERE) that will develop advanced methods of estimation.
Changes at the state level would have to be brought in and a new category of elephant landscapes will be created. Ten in number, these landscapes will include the existing and proposed elephant reserves which number 32.
The report is clear about protecting the existing habitats and in securing habitats �beyond Protected Areas� is the need of the hour. Innovative measures would have to be adopted so that elephants outside protected areas are conserved.
An increased financial outlay of Rs 600 crore over the 12th Five-Year Plan period has been described as �sound logic� to back up the effort to ensure the mega herbivore�s survival in the country. The report favours instruments such as conservation easements and community reserves rather than land acquisition.
Human elephant conflict draws attention in the report, as it has become a matter of serious concern in some parts of the country. Conflict Management Task Forces, containing experienced foresters, scientists, and wildlife vets along with social scientists, can start work in known areas of human-elephant conflict.
The immediate initiative, the report states, should be to �re-energise the protection machinery with a recruitment drive giving local youth, especially the Scheduled Tribes preference�.
A new step recommended by the report is declaring the elephant as National Heritage Animal. This recognition will give the elephant �due place as emblem of ecological sensitivity�, the report mentioned.
Emphasising the need to bring the elephant issue into sharp focus, the document moots the need for an International Elephant Congress and an Asian partnership for Gajah. Both are expected to bring about scientific and ecological cooperation among the various stakeholders involved in the conservation effort.
