Elephant Corridors of Asia

Deforestation is rampant throughout Asia as growing human populations continue to carve out precious dwindling habitat from wildlife. Of the remaining forests, corridors which connect them become evermore critical. Fragmentation can make remaining forests ineffectual for wildlife subsistence. These "forest islands" are increasingly isolated from one another. The elephants become trapped within their boundaries, often with insufficient food or water resources. The necessity of mixing with other herds is also essential, otherwise inner-breeding brings deformities and sick births.

Elephant corridors throughout Asia are often broken by any number of unwitting actions, but lately they are knowingly stolen by industrial developments, such as teak forests or mango plantations. Often, there are only narrow ribbons of forests connecting fragmented forests. We see the results of these unwise developments, as the elephants, no longer able to move within millennia old pathways are deflected to adjacent properties - knocking down neighboring fences, tearing through villagers shanties and even knocking down kitchen walls to gain access to smelled grain. The elephants are often pushed to raid cultivated fields in the night which too often results in gun fire, poisonings and traps.

It is critical that these corridors be protected to the maximum extent possible - there are no new forest patches being created in Asia. The attached article explains new actions being taken within India to help save these priceless corridors.

Savingganesh.org is in process of mapping corridors within Sri Lanka with a longterm plan to protect them thru innovative approaches. We will publish our Plan this December, which will serve as a model for India as well.https://indianexpress.com/.../coming-soon-a-project-to.../