The Indian mountains of Western Ghats where three states, namely Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka meet are a home to the largest and possibly best developing population of Asian elephants. However, this already fragile eco-system is even further threatened by the ever-rising economical and developmental needs of humans.
According to scientists, there are about 2000 elephants surviving in Peninsular India in various habitats, the largest of which numbers about 1000 animals and is found in the 4500sq km area boarding the three Indian states. Event thought the best fodder is in Tamil Nadu, the elephants need to migrate to Kerala and Karnataka when the food and water become scarce in Tamil Nadu every summer. And here lies the problem…
The clearing of land and development made it impossible for the direct migrations of elephants, which are now forced to move through a narrow corridor extending from Mulehole in Karnataka to Muthanga in Kerala, which is only about 2.5 km wide. However, a major interstate highway connecting Bangladore and Calicut passes through that corridor and is used daily by hundreds of vehicles posing a significant threat to the safety of migrating elephants.
Moreover, the Indian government has recently decided to relocate four governmental check-posts to the corridor itself. The decision involves erecting all kinds of infrastructure (e.g. offices, toilets and dormitories for drivers, building and housing complexes, gas station etc), which will ultimately make it impossible for any elephant migrations through the forest. However, there is an alternative to placing the check-post in the forest itself and the Ecological Internet is currently protesting erecting the said infrastructure right in the middle of the last available migration route for the Asian elephants.
If you’re interested in helping, go to http://www.ecoearth.info/shared/alerts/
