|
Wild Elephant Conservation Program
The Wild Elephant Conservation
Program started in the year 2000 has focused on the problem of
vanishing elephant corridors, apart from the year round problem of
Orissa losing its mature tuskers to poaching. More than 100 adult
tuskers have laid down their lives in a short span a few years,
and this trend is in urgent need for reversal before it is too
late. ‘Wild Orissa’ plans to involve the attention of the planners
and policy makers to take the question of elephant habitat while
delineating plans for the state. Members have been associating
with the state forest department personnel in elephant count
exercise in areas like Keonjhar, Chandaka, Ushakothi, etc. and
undertaking field visits to assess the elephant habitats and
problems which crop up like the Rengali Irrigation Project which
has marooned a large population of elephants in Dhenkanal and
Cuttack districts. A National Symposium for Conservation of Wild
Elephants in Orissa is being organized shortly.
|
