World Elephant Day

World Elephant Day

On the occasion of World Elephant Day 2023, the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment highlighted India's ongoing initiatives and accomplishments in the realm of elephant conservation.

World Elephant Day:

• Significance: World Elephant Day is observed globally on August 12 with the purpose of raising awareness about the critical challenges faced by elephants and advocating for their protection and conservation.
• Objective: This day serves as a platform to shed light on the various issues confronting elephants, including habitat loss, ivory poaching, human-elephant conflicts, and the need for intensified conservation efforts.
• Historical Context: The campaign for World Elephant Day was initiated in 2012 to draw attention to the precarious situations of both African and Asian elephants.
• Founders: Canadian filmmakers Michael Clark and Patricia Sims, along with the Thailand-based Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, launched this campaign.
• Impact: Patricia Sims subsequently established the World Elephant Society, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the threats faced by elephants and the imperative of global protection.

Key Highlights of Elephants:

• Keystone Species: Elephants, recognized as the Natural Heritage Animal of India, hold the status of "Keystone Species" due to their crucial role in maintaining the equilibrium and health of forest ecosystems.
• Intelligence: Elephants exhibit remarkable intelligence, possessing the largest brain size of any land animal.
• Ecosystem Significance: Elephants significantly contribute to their ecosystems by functioning as grazers and browsers, consuming substantial amounts of vegetation daily and facilitating seed dispersal.
• Ecosystem Shaping: In forests, elephants create clearings and gaps in the tree canopy, permitting sunlight to reach new seedlings, fostering natural plant growth and forest regeneration.
• Water Source: Elephants even dig for water, thus making water accessible to other creatures besides themselves.

Elephants in India:

• Population: India is home to the largest population of wild Asian Elephants, estimated at around 29,964 according to the 2017 census conducted by Project Elephant. This accounts for approximately 60% of the global population of this species.
• Distribution: The states of Karnataka, Assam, and Kerala harbor the highest numbers of elephants.

Conservation Status:

• IUCN Red List: Various elephant species have been classified under different conservation statuses: African Forest Elephant (Critically Endangered), African Savanna Elephant (Endangered), and Asian Elephant (Endangered).
• CMS and CITES: These species are also listed in the Appendices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

India's Elephant Conservation Initiatives and Accomplishments:

• Elephant-Human Conflict Mitigation: India has established over 40 elephant corridors and 88 wildlife crossings to minimize conflicts. Buffer zones around protected areas spanning more than 17,000 square kilometers have also been designated.
• Project Elephant: Launched in 1992 across 23 states in India, this project has led to a positive impact on wild elephant populations, resulting in an increase from about 25,000 in 1992 to around 30,000 in 2021.
• Elephant Reserves: The establishment of 33 Elephant Reserves, covering approximately 80,777 square kilometers, plays a pivotal role in safeguarding wild elephant populations and their habitats.
• Human-Elephant Conflict Management: Rapid response teams have been deployed in various states to address conflict situations. Around 110 critical stretches in the railway network traversing elephant habitats have been identified for implementing eco-friendly measures to mitigate conflicts.
• Community Engagement: Programs such as Gaj Yatra and Gaj Shilpi engage the public to raise awareness about elephant conservation.
• Recognition: The Gaj Gaurav awards acknowledge individuals and organizations for their exemplary contributions to elephant conservation.
• International Engagement: India participates in international conferences like CITES, and the country is involved in the Monitoring of Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme, which contributes to long-term elephant population management. MIKE sites in India include various elephant reserves in different states.

·         Mike Sites in India:

·         Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve (Assam)

·         Deomali Elephant Reserve ( Arunachal Pradesh )

·         Dihing Patkai Elephant Reserve ( Assam )

·         Garo Hills Elephant Reserve ( Meghalaya )

·         Eastern Dooars Elephant Reserve ( West Bengal )

·         Mayurbhanj Elephant Reserve ( Odisha )

·         Shivalik Elephant Reserve (Uttarakhand )

·         Mysore Elephant Reserve ( Karnataka )

·         Nilgiri Elephant Reserve ( Tamil Nadu)

·         Wayanad Elephant Reserve ( Kerala)

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements: (2020)

1.       The leader of an elephant group is a female.

2.     The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.

3.     An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.

4.     Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Ans: (a)

Exp:

• The elephant herd is led by the oldest and largest female member (known as the matriarch). This herd includes the daughters of the matriarch and their offspring. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Elephants have the longest-known gestational (pregnancy) period of all mammals, lasting up to 680 days (22 months). Hence, statement 2 is correct. Females between 14 - 45 years may give birth to calves approximately every four years with the mean interbirth intervals increasing to five years by age 52 and six years by age 60. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
• As per Elephant Census (2017), Karnataka has the highest number of elephants (6,049), followed by Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054). Hence, statement 4 is not correct.
• Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Some MCQs on World Elephant Day 2023:

1.       When is World Elephant Day celebrated?

(a) August 11

(b) August 12

(c) August 13

(d) August 14

Answer is (b). World Elephant Day is celebrated on August 12 every year.

2.     What is the objective of World Elephant Day?

(a) To raise awareness about the critical challenges facing elephants and to advocate for their protection and conservation.

(b) To celebrate the beauty and intelligence of elephants.

(c) To promote the use of ivory products.

(d) To raise funds for elephant conservation projects.

Answer is (a). The objective of World Elephant Day is to raise awareness about the critical challenges facing elephants and to advocate for their protection and conservation.

3.     Which of the following is not a key highlight of elephants?

(a) They are the largest land animals on Earth.

(b) They are herbivores and eat a variety of plants.

(c) They are very intelligent and have the largest brain size of any land animal.

(d) They are a keystone species, meaning they play a critical role in maintaining the balance and health of forest ecosystems.

Answer is (d). Elephants are not a keystone species. A keystone species is a species that plays a critical role in maintaining the balance and health of an ecosystem. Elephants are important, but they are not essential for the survival of an ecosystem.

4.     Which of the following is not an initiative taken by the Indian government to conserve elephants?

(a) Establishment of over 40 elephant corridors and 88 wildlife crossings to reduce conflicts.

(b) Creation of buffer zones around protected areas covering more than 17,000 sq. km.

(c) Launch of Project Elephant in 1992.

(d) Promotion of the use of ivory products.

Answer is (d). The Indian government does not promote the use of ivory products. Ivory is illegal to trade in India.

5.     Which of the following is not a state in India where elephants are found?

(a) Assam

(b) Karnataka

(c) Kerala

(d) Uttar Pradesh

Answer is (d). Elephants are not found in Uttar Pradesh.

They are found in the following states: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.