30 years of Project Elephant

Celebrating the 30 years of ‘Project Elephant’, the MoEF&CC has announced the completion of the DNA Profiling of 270 elephants

About Project Elephant

• It was launched in 1992 as a Centrally-Sponsored Scheme.

• Aim to protect elephants and improve their habitat and corridors.

• To reduce Human-elephant conflict.

Status of Elephants in India

• India is home to 20% of the global captive Asian elephant population.

• Nilgiri landscape has the largest single population of the endangered Asian elephant.

• As per Elephant Census (2017), Karnataka has the highest number of elephants (6,049), followed by Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054).

• IUCN Red List Status: Endangered

• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.

• CITES: Appendix I

• The DNA profiling was started in August 2022 for Gaj Soochna Mobile Application for forest officials.

• The DNA profiling will act as the ‘Adhaar card' of captive elephants.

• Gaj Yatra is a nationwide awareness campaign to celebrate elephants and highlights the necessity of securing elephant corridors.

• MIKE programme--(Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants)

▪ Launched in 2003

▪ Against illegal killing of elephants from across Africa and Asia, to monitor effectiveness of field conservation efforts.