DEHRADUN: With millions of pilgrims expected in Haridwar for the 2027 Kumbh Mela, the Uttarakhand Forest Department plans to fit radio collars on herd-leading elephants to track their movements and reduce encounters in crowded areas.
The initiative, being developed with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), follows persistent incidents of elephants entering settlements despite trenches, solar-powered fences and other barriers.
Real-time location alerts would allow rapid-response teams to reach vulnerable areas and guide animals back towards forests. Officials said WII researchers were mapping herd sizes, routes, timings and the settlements most frequently visited. After identifying the animal leading a herd, the department would collar it and use its location as a proxy for the group.
The plan was discussed on Friday at meetings of the State Wildlife Board and State-Level Tiger Steering Committee, chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. A proposal seeking permission to deploy the collars has been sent to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
“The study has been underway since May,” Haridwar divisional forest officer Swapnil Anirudh said. “WII will identify the elephant leading the herd, after which radio collars will be fitted. The institute has already provided four collars.”
Uttarakhand counted 2,026 wild elephants in its 2020 state census, up from 1,839 in 2017, according to figures released by the state Forest Department. It represented an increase of about 10 per cent in three years and underlined the state's importance within India’s elephant range.
Most animals occur in the Terai and Shivalik landscapes, including the Rajaji-Corbett corridor around Haridwar. Haridwar’s forest edge and transport network create a particular challenge during mass gatherings.
Officials said tracking data could also help identify conflict hotspots, strengthen patrol deployment and improve warnings for nearby communities. However, radio-collaring requires central approval and trained teams to safely immobilise, fit and subsequently monitor the selected animals. The project is intended to become an early-warning shield before crowds arrive.