India’s Supreme Court has ordered stronger measures to protect wild elephant herds as habitat destruction and conflicts between humans and elephants continue to increase, a decision welcomed by wildlife campaigners.
India is home to the majority of the world’s Asian elephants, an endangered species whose habitats are increasingly being fragmented by highways, railways and mining projects.
The court directed state governments to ensure that elephant corridors — routes used by herds to travel between habitats — remain free of obstructions. It also ordered authorities to conduct a survey to identify barriers along these migration routes.
The ruling said the measures must include an end to any “coercive measure to divert the natural movement of the elephants”.
The court also called for a ban on “hulla parties”, groups of people used to drive elephants away by employing methods such as “fireballs” and burning stakes.
In its ruling, issued on Monday, the Supreme Court noted that government guidelines already existed to ensure “unobstructed” elephant corridors but said these routes continued to face frequent encroachment and blockages.
Wildlife conservationist Prerna Singh Bindra, who led the pro bono public interest case, said her petition challenged state governments for “supporting horrifically cruel practices”.
“It becomes a mob situation with thousands of people chasing the elephants using burning spears,” she said.
“That does nothing to resolve conflict; science shows it only exacerbates the conflict.”
According to the World Wildlife Fund, fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants remain in the wild. Most live in India, while others are found in Sri Lanka and countries across Southeast Asia.
Elephants are legally protected in India and have been designated the country’s “national heritage animal”. They are also considered sacred by many followers of Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu deity.
However, the animals face growing threats from habitat loss, fragmentation and increasing encounters with human populations.
Bindra, a former member of India’s National Board for Wildlife, said the court’s intervention was crucial for protecting elephants in one of the world’s most densely populated countries.
“We know where elephant corridors and habitats are — and they are being destroyed and fragmented at an unprecedented pace,” Bindra said.
“The will to protect and preserve is markedly absent. We hope with this Supreme Court order, this survey must lead to action.”
