MIKE Sites & Elephant Conservation in India
Project Elephant was launched in 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with the primary objective of increasing the population of elephants and securing their natural habitats. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change administers this scheme, providing direct financial and technical support to major elephant range states across the country. Presently, there are 33 designated elephant reserves in India.
Elephant Corridors of India: 2023 Assessment
The landmark Elephant Corridors of India 2023 Report provides vital structural updates on the migration pathways and demographic distribution of elephants:
- Expanded Pathway Registry: The Central Government has successfully identified over 60 new corridors used by elephants to move between two habitats, increasing the total number of recognized passages across India to 150.
- Regional Distribution: The report maps these 150 passages across 15 states, categorizing them into four distinct geographic regions: northern, northeast, east-central, and southern.
- West Bengal Dominance: West Bengal holds the highest number of identified elephant corridors in the country, boasting 26 passages that account for over 17% of all mapped paths in India.
- Jurisdictional Boundaries: Approximately 84% (126) of the identified corridors are located entirely within individual state boundaries, while roughly 13% (19) operate as interstate corridors spanning two or more states.
- Population Standing: As per the Synchronized Elephant Census of 2017, Karnataka holds the highest population of elephants in India, followed in order by Assam and Kerala.
The Global MIKE Programme
Initiated in South Asia in 2003, the MIKE Programme (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) is driven by CITES COP resolutions. Its core mandate is to provide baseline data and essential information to help elephant range states make informed management decisions. Furthermore, it focuses on building institutional capacity for the long-term management and stabilization of elephant populations.
Designated MIKE Sites in India
India hosts 10 officially recognized MIKE sites distributed across its key ecological zones. They serve as vital monitoring grounds for tracking population pressures and anti-poaching enforcement:
Mayurbhanj
Odisha
Mysore
Karnataka
Nilgiri
Tamil Nadu
Shivalik
Uttarakhand
Wayanad
Kerala
Chirang Ripu
Assam
Dihing Patkai
Assam
Eastern Dooars
West Bengal
Deomali
Arunachal Pradesh
Garo Hills
Meghalaya
High-Yield Interactive UPSC Quiz (Elephant Conservation Focus)
Q1. According to the Elephant Corridors of India 2023 Report, which of the following states contains the highest number of identified elephant corridors?
Correct Answer: C. The 2023 report indicates that West Bengal has the highest number of identified elephant corridors (26), accounting for over 17% of all paths in the country. Note that while Karnataka has the highest population of elephants, West Bengal leads in the number of designated corridors.
Q2. With reference to international conservation frameworks, the MIKE Programme operates primarily under the aegis of which body?
Correct Answer: B. The MIKE Programme was established and is mandated explicitly by a resolution of the CITES Conference of the Parties (COP).