Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) and Riparian Wildlife Corridors: A Case Study from Lesser- Himalayan Zone of Uttarakhand

Abstract

Developmental activities are increasingly recognized as the cause of habitat fragmentation and shrinking of wildlife corridors. This study assessed the status and importance of the Chilla - Motichur and Khara - Anjani riparian wildlife corridor in northern India. We review the potential involvement of developmental activities in the recent past, which has affected frequent movement of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) within their home range. These corridors linking the Chilla forest with Motichur forest and Shyampur forest are subjected to severe anthropogenic pressures. Livestock grazing, fuel wood collection and movement of people are the major activities observed in both corridors. These anthropogenic activities have substantially affected the movement of elephant within their home range and have led to the loss of forests connectivity. The long-term effects will include genetic isolation, habitat fragmentation within the same forest and enhancement in the human-elephant conflict in adjoining areas. Genetic isolation of elephant populations may also increase the chances of replacement of inter-breeding to intra- breeding, and thereby reduce the population persistence even for wide ranging wildlife species. Additionally, minimization of all kinds of biotic pressures in the corridor areas and providing higher protection to riparian wildlife corridors are highly recommended. (THE JOURNAL OF AMERICAN SCIENCE.