'Elephant corridor' planned to save life, property

Bangladeshi and Indian zoologists are charting out the traditional trail of wild elephants to ensure their easy, unimpeded movement across the border between the two countries. The exercise is aimed at ending destruction of  life and property by the animals in areas like Sherpur, below the Garo Hills in the north-east. The experts are likely to prepare a map, containing the traditional elephant trail. The areas mainly in question are the foothills of the Garo range at Sherpur in the north-eastern region, where rogues go on the rampage, often killing people and destroying homes and property.
The map is likely to be finalised by June, for signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two   countries, after it is cleared by the foreign and home ministries. Part of the barbed-wire fencing on the elephant trail along the border could be opened to let the pachyderms pass, Dr Tapan Kumar Dey, former head of the Wild Life Division of the Bangladesh Forest Department, told The Independent yesterday (Tuesday). Experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are also involved in the project, Dr Dey said. Associated with the initiative, Dr Dey said it has become imperative to let the wild elephants move unhindered, to save lives and properties in vast areas of Sherpur and Nalitabari. A number of people were killed there recently, trying to save their homes and crops from rampaging elephants, angry because of barriers like barbed wires along the border on their traditional trail. Elephants by nature move in herds along their trail since they are born, and go on foraging with their parents.
Elephants have a strong memory, so they do not forget their trail to traditional foraging grounds.
The initiative may also involve Bhutan and Nepal, as the animals know no national frontiers but their traditional foraging grounds.
An estimated 150-200 elephants are active along the India-Bangladesh border and frontiers with neighbouring countries like Myanmar and Bhutan and Nepal down India, experts said.

 

Elephant corridor planned to save life, property

Bangladeshi and Indian zoologists are charting out the traditional trail of wild elephants to ensure their easy, unimpeded movement across the border between the two countries. The exercise is aimed at ending destruction of life and property by the animals in areas like Sherpur, below the Garo Hills in the north-east. The experts are likely to prepare a map, containing the traditional elephant trail. The areas mainly in question are the foothills of the Garo range at Sherpur in the north-eastern region, where rogues go on the rampage, often killing people and destroying homes and property. The map is likely to be finalised by June, for signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries, after it is cleared by the foreign and home ministries. Part of the barbed-wire fencing on the elephant trail along the border could be opened to let the pachyderms pass, Dr Tapan Kumar Dey, former head of the Wild Life Division of the Bangladesh Forest Department, told The Independent yesterday (Tuesday). Experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are also involved in the project, Dr Dey said. Associated with the initiative, Dr Dey said it has become imperative to let the wild elephants move unhindered, to save lives and properties in vast areas of Sherpur and Nalitabari. A number of people were killed there recently, trying to save their homes and crops from rampaging elephants, angry because of barriers like barbed wires along the border on their traditional trail. Elephants by nature move in herds along their trail since they are born, and go on foraging with their parents. Elephants have a strong memory, so they do not forget their trail to traditional foraging grounds. The initiative may also involve Bhutan and Nepal, as the animals know no national frontiers but their traditional foraging grounds. An estimated 150-200 elephants are active along the India-Bangladesh border and frontiers with neighbouring countries like Myanmar and Bhutan and Nepal down India, experts said.