India’s economy is growing and its burgeoning population currently stands at more than one-and-a-quarter billion. As a consequence, wildlife habitats across the country are shrinking and elephants and other migratory animals are increasingly in conflict with humans.
To address this, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and World Land Trust (WLT) are working together to secure safe passage for elephants, tigers and other threatened species away from humans.
Projects in India
Garo Hills
The Garo Hills form part of the Garo-Khasi mountain range in the state of Meghalaya, North-east India. These gently undulating hills sit within the Meghalaya Subtropical Forests ecoregion, which is known for being one of the wettest regions in the world, with some parts receiving over 11 metres of rainfall a year. These high levels of rainfall, rich soils and benevolent climate have been a major factor in the resulting exceptional biodiversity value of the region. Only 7.6 per cent of Meghalaya’s forests are under protection, and unprotected areas are threatened by jhum agricultural practices (slash and burn).
Mudahalli Corridor
Mudahalli is located within the Mysore-Nilgiri biosphere region, where the Eastern and Western Ghats mountain ranges meet in southern India. This one of the most important regions for elephants and tigers. Although there are reserves, the region has a dense human population resulting in increasing habitat fragmentation and human-wildlife conflict.
Tirunelli-Kudrakote Corridor
Tirunelli-Kudrakote Corridor lies in an area considered to be a global biodiversity hotspot in a transition zone between the drier forests to the north and the wetter montane rain forests in the south. Just over 6,000 Elephants live within the corridor- the largest population of elephants in the southern region of India.
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats mountain range runs down the west coast of the Indian peninsula, and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its biological richness and beauty. It is a biodiversity hotspot, and is considered one of the “hottest hotspots” of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots.