Elephant Corridors

WTI’s project aims to re-establish the natural habitat connectivity and increase the width of the Periya at Pakranthalam Elephant Corridor by securing 31.8 acres of private land currently preventing unhindered elephant movement. WTI will conterminously work towards getting the corridor area notified by the State Forest Department and legally protected under the appropriate laws to prevent further encroachment and developmental activities detrimental to animal movement. Close partnerships with the local communities in the form of outreach programmes, and providing advice and resources to reduce conflict are also vital. The benefit of the core strategy of land purchase, however, is that it provides a certainty to the habitat’s future and ensures that it will be protected in perpetuity.

The following outcomes will indicate a successful corridor securement:

 	
Unhindered elephant movement between the two ranges of Periya Reserve Forest through land securement
 	
Usage of corridor areas by elephants and other wildlife, which will be monitored to assess the impact of land securement
 	
Legal protection of secured corridor land
 	
Villagers living on the fringe of the corridor sensitised about the criticality of the corridor area
 	
Local Community Based Organisations institutionalised as Green Corridor Champions (GCCs) to monitor and protect the corridor