India is home to Asia’s largest elephant population, but protecting these giants requires more than securing forests. Safe corridors, access to food and water, and protection from roads, railway tracks, power lines and human settlements are critical for their survival.
Launched in 1992, Project Elephant is India’s flagship programme for elephant conservation. Today, it supports 23 States and Union Territories, covering 33 Elephant Reserves across 14 States and more than 80,777 sq km.
From 150 ground-validated elephant corridors and India’s first DNA-based Synchronous All India Elephant Population Estimation to regional action plans, DNA profiling and the Gaj Soochna app, technology and landscape-level planning are strengthening elephant conservation.
With 77 critical railway stretches identified for mitigation, initiatives such as Intrusion Detection Systems and E-eye are also helping reduce elephant casualties on railway tracks.
Between 2021–22 and 2023–24, 348 unnatural elephant deaths were recorded nationally, highlighting the urgent need to make infrastructure safer for wildlife.
The goal is clear: protect elephants while making human-elephant coexistence safer and more sustainable.
At the Eco Warrior Awards 2026, Project Elephant was recognised for its contribution to elephant conservation and human-elephant coexistence.
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