Elephant Corridors in India

Elephant corridors in India are designated natural pathways that facilitate the safe movement of elephants between major habitats and forested landscapes. These corridors are critical to maintaining genetic diversity, reducing human–elephant conflict, and ensuring the long-term survival of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), a species classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). As India holds more than 60 per cent of the global wild Asian elephant population, the conservation and management of these corridors are vital for ecological balance and biodiversity protection.

Background and Ecological Significance

Elephants are highly migratory animals that traverse vast areas in search of food, water, and mates. Historically, their ranges were continuous across much of India’s forests. However, increasing deforestation, urbanisation, and agricultural expansion have fragmented their habitats, isolating elephant populations and intensifying conflicts with humans. Elephant corridors act as biological linkages connecting fragmented forest patches, enabling elephants to move freely and safely between feeding grounds, breeding sites, and water sources.
Maintaining these corridors is essential for:

• Genetic Flow: Prevents inbreeding by allowing gene exchange between isolated elephant groups.
• Reducing Conflict: Minimises encounters with human settlements and agricultural fields.
• Ecosystem Health: Elephants play a key role as keystone species, maintaining forest structure and aiding seed dispersal.

Distribution and Classification

According to the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with the Project Elephant Division under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), India has identified 101 recognised elephant corridors as of recent assessments. These corridors are spread across various states and are classified based on ecological regions and elephant populations.
The corridors are distributed across four major elephant landscapes:

1. North-Western Elephant Range: Covering Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh.
2. North-Eastern Elephant Range: Encompassing Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and parts of West Bengal.
3. Central and Eastern Elephant Range: Including Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and parts of West Bengal.
4. Southern Elephant Range: Spanning Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.

Of these, the North-Eastern and Southern ranges contain the largest number of corridors and elephant populations.

Major Elephant Corridors in India

Some of the most significant elephant corridors include:

• Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong Corridor (Assam): Connects Kaziranga National Park with the hilly Karbi Anglong forests, essential during monsoon migrations.
• Nilgiri Biosphere Corridors (Karnataka–Kerala–Tamil Nadu): A network of passages linking Mudumalai, Wayanad, and Bandipur Tiger Reserves, forming one of the largest contiguous habitats for elephants in Asia.
• Chilapata–Jaldapara Corridor (West Bengal): Facilitates movement between the forests of North Bengal and Bhutan foothills.
• Similipal–Hadgarh–Kuldiha Corridor (Odisha): Supports seasonal migration between protected areas in eastern India.
• Rajaji–Corbett Corridor (Uttarakhand): A critical link between two major elephant reserves in the Himalayan foothills.
• Chandaka–Dhenkanal Corridor (Odisha): Known for high levels of human–elephant conflict due to encroachment.

Legal and Institutional Framework

The Project Elephant, launched by the Government of India in 1992, provides the primary framework for elephant conservation and habitat protection. The project aims to ensure the long-term survival of elephants through habitat restoration, corridor protection, and conflict mitigation.
Elephant corridors are not legally protected as a separate category under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, but many fall within or adjacent to Protected Areas (PAs) such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and reserve forests. The Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and Environment Protection Act, 1986 also indirectly support corridor conservation through land-use regulation and environmental impact assessments.
The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), in partnership with state forest departments, plays a leading role in securing and restoring corridors through land acquisition, community engagement, and reforestation.

Human–Elephant Conflict and Management

Fragmentation of elephant corridors often forces elephants to pass through human settlements and agricultural lands, resulting in crop damage, property loss, and human casualties. India records hundreds of such incidents annually, especially in states like Assam, Odisha, and West Bengal.
Conflict mitigation strategies include:

• Early Warning Systems: Using sensors and communication networks to alert communities of elephant movements.
• Physical Barriers: Solar-powered electric fencing and trenches to prevent elephants from entering villages.
• Habitat Restoration: Replanting degraded forests and maintaining water sources within corridors.
• Community-Based Conservation: Involving local populations in protection and management through eco-development schemes.

Conservation Initiatives and Case Studies

A number of innovative initiatives have been undertaken to secure elephant corridors:

• Right of Passage (WTI, 2017): A comprehensive report documenting India’s 101 corridors and providing recommendations for securing them.
• Acquisition of Land Corridors: The WTI successfully facilitated the Edayarhalli–Doddasampige Corridor in Karnataka, making it India’s first legally secured private corridor through voluntary land purchase.
• Eco-bridges and Underpasses: In states like Uttarakhand and Assam, infrastructure projects now include wildlife underpasses and overpasses to facilitate safe passage.
• Transboundary Conservation: Collaborative initiatives with Bhutan and Nepal ensure cross-border corridor connectivity for migratory herds.

Challenges and Threats

Despite policy attention, several challenges hinder effective corridor protection:

• Encroachment and Development: Expanding agriculture, mining, and infrastructure projects disrupt connectivity.
• Insufficient Legal Status: Absence of a statutory framework for corridor designation limits enforcement.
• Population Pressure: Increasing human density near forests escalates conflict and habitat degradation.
• Climate Change: Alters vegetation and water availability, affecting migration routes.
• Lack of Coordination: Overlapping jurisdictions among states complicate corridor management.

Future Strategies and Recommendations

To strengthen elephant corridor conservation in India, experts recommend a multi-pronged approach:

• Grant legal protection status to identified corridors through amendments to existing wildlife laws.
• Implement landscape-level management that integrates forest, agricultural, and infrastructure planning.
• Promote coexistence models by incentivising communities for corridor conservation.
• Establish monitoring systems using satellite imagery and GPS tracking to study movement patterns.
• Encourage public–private partnerships for habitat restoration and funding.

The Government of India’s National Elephant Action Plan (2018–2028) and the National Wildlife Action Plan (2017–2031) both emphasise the restoration of ecological corridors as a key conservation objective.