BHUBANESWAR: In a first-of-its-kind initiative that would support conservation of elephants in South and Southeast Asia, Odisha government has accepted a proposal for establishment a Centre for Species Survival (CSS) of Asian Elephants near Bhubaneswar.
The centre will be set up at Chandaka wildlife division. A letter of agreement with the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN-SSC) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) was signed by the Forest, Environment and Climate Change department in this regard.
The centre will not only enhance the protection of Asian elephants across 13 range countries in South and South East Asia including India but also be in line with Government of India’s ‘Act East Policy’ launched in 2014 to promote country’s economic, strategic and cultural relations with the Asia-Pacific region. Establishment of the species survival centre of elephants in India is also being seen as vital as the country is home to over 60 per cent of wild Asian elephant population.
While India has emerged as a global leader in Asian elephant conservation, addressing challenges of securing elephant corridors, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, training frontline forest staff, rescue and rehabilitation, creation of community-conserved areas, top sources in the Wildlife Wing said, the centre will facilitate integration of scientific and cultural knowledge and promote collaboration among different stakeholders including government agencies, forest communities and public to bolster conservation efforts for Asian elephants.
The establishment of the centre will also bring significant international support, funding as well as expertise for the protection of elephants in the country including Odisha. It will also go a long way in resolving the human-elephant conflict which has been a raging issue for many states.
For effective management of the centre, a seven-member governing council headed by the PCCF (wildlife) was notified by the state wildlife headquarters on Thursday. The governing body will be led by the PCCF (wildlife) as its chairman while chief conservator of forests, regional CCF (Bhubaneswar circle), WTI CEO, WTI regional facilitator, Chandaka DFO and a programme manager of IUCN-SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group will be its members.
Sources said a team of IUCN-SSC and WTI along with wildlife officials will visit the site in Chandaka on Friday.