What happened: Project Elephant uses DNA profiling, corridor monitoring and reserve expansion

Project Elephant is the Government of India’s flagship elephant conservation initiative implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The programme provides financial and technical support to States for protecting elephant habitats, conserving captive elephants, and mitigating human-elephant conflict. Project Elephant also promotes science-driven conservation using AI-enabled monitoring, radio-collaring, genetic databases, and early warning systems.

DNA-based scientific monitoring under Project Elephant (SAIEE 2021–25)

Project Elephant reports strengthened elephant population assessment through DNA-based scientific monitoring. The central method highlighted is SAIEE 2021–25, described as India’s first DNA-based synchronised elephant census. Scientists analysed elephant dung samples to identify individual elephants using unique genetic fingerprints. DNA profiling was combined with block counts and line-transect surveys to strengthen the scientific rigour of population estimates. The DNA approach also helps detect repeat dung samples across landscapes, which improves estimation accuracy.

Securing elephant corridors: identification, validation and monitoring

Elephant corridors are habitats that connect fragmented habitats and help elephants move safely between separated landscapes. Corridor conservation supports maintaining genetically diverse and viable elephant populations by enabling ecological connectivity and reducing human-elephant conflict risk. Under Project Elephant, the Government reports identification and validation of elephant corridors across 14 elephant-range states.

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