{"id":3907,"date":"2026-08-24T11:26:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T11:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/?p=3907"},"modified":"2026-08-26T11:37:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T11:37:40","slug":"elephant-corridors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kingmakersiasacademy.com\/current-affairs\/elephant-corridors\/","title":{"rendered":"Elephant Corridors"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><\/h2>\n<table width=\"602\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"602\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>SYLLABUS: General Studies \u2013 :III: Environment &amp; Biodiversity <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>IN NEWS: Why elephants need long corridors, and why SC has stepped in for them<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>QUESTION: <\/strong><strong style=\"font-size: 16px;\">&#8220;Elephant corridors are critical ecological infrastructure for conserving India&#8217;s elephant population.&#8221; Examine their significance and discuss the major threats affecting their functionality.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><br \/>\nANSWER: <\/strong>Elephant corridors are narrow stretches of land connecting larger elephant habitats, facilitating movement of the <strong>Asian Elephant (<em>Elephas maximus<\/em>)<\/strong>, India&#8217;s <strong>National Heritage Animal<\/strong>. According to the <strong>MoEFCC&#8217;s 2023 Elephant Corridor Report<\/strong>, India has <strong>150 identified elephant corridors across 15 elephant-range states<\/strong>, making them indispensable for landscape-level conservation.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Significance of Elephant Corridors<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4><strong>1. Ensure Genetic Connectivity<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Corridors facilitate gene flow between isolated elephant populations and prevent inbreeding depression.<\/li>\n<li>This is particularly important in fragmented landscapes such as the <strong>Western Ghats<\/strong>, which support over <strong>50% of India&#8217;s elephant population (22,446 elephants)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>2. Facilitate Habitat Continuity and Resource Access<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Elephants require extensive home ranges of <strong>300\u2013800 sq km<\/strong> and undertake seasonal movements in search of food and water.<\/li>\n<li>Corridors connect protected areas and allow uninterrupted access to critical resources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>3. Reduce Human\u2013Elephant Conflict (HEC)<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>MoEFCC Report on Human-Elephant Conflict in South India<\/strong> highlights that blocked corridors force elephants into agricultural fields and settlements.<\/li>\n<li>Maintaining natural movement routes reduces crop depredation, property damage and casualties.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>4. Support Ecosystem Functioning<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>As an <strong>umbrella and keystone species<\/strong>, elephants disperse seeds over long distances and aid forest regeneration.<\/li>\n<li>Conserving elephant corridors therefore protects entire ecosystems and associated biodiversity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>5. Promote Climate Resilience<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Corridors allow species movement in response to climate-induced habitat shifts, enhancing landscape resilience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Major Threats Affecting Corridor Functionality<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4><strong>1. Linear Infrastructure<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Highways, railway lines, canals and transmission corridors fragment habitats.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Supreme Court (2026)<\/strong> observed that elephant corridors cannot be blocked merely to prevent crop damage and ordered a fresh nationwide survey.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>2. Land-Use Change and Encroachment<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Expansion of tea and coffee plantations, resorts, settlements and agriculture narrows corridors into bottlenecks.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Western Ghats landscape<\/strong> has witnessed significant fragmentation due to such changes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>3. Mining and Industrial Activities<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Mining belts in <strong>Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh<\/strong> have altered traditional migratory routes and triggered elephant dispersal into new areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>4. Weak Legal Protection<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Many corridors traverse private and revenue lands and lack notification as <strong>Conservation Reserves under Section 36A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Notify critical corridors as <strong>Conservation Reserves<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Integrate wildlife underpasses, overpasses and elephant-friendly infrastructure in development projects.<\/li>\n<li>Strengthen <strong>Project Elephant (1992)<\/strong> and community-based conservation through Eco-Development Committees.<\/li>\n<li>Mainstream corridor protection in land-use planning and infrastructure approvals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Elephant corridors are the <strong>lifelines of elephant conservation<\/strong>, ensuring ecological connectivity, genetic viability, and coexistence between humans and wildlife. Protecting them advances the constitutional mandate under <strong>Article 48A and Article 51A(g)<\/strong> and is essential for sustainable landscape management.<\/p>\n<table width=\"602\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"602\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>PYQ REFERENCE UPSC 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Q. How does biodiversity vary in India? How is the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 helpful in conservation of flora and fauna? <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/elephant-corridors-india-why-they-matter-supreme-court-explained-10845256\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>SOURCE: The Indian Express &#8211; Why elephants need long corridors<\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SYLLABUS: General Studies \u2013 :III: Environment &amp; Biodiversity IN NEWS: Why elephants need long corridors, and why SC has stepped 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