Source-This post has been created based on the article“Good step, but not long-term answer: Activists on Odisha’s request for ‘kumkis’ & ‘mahouts’ from Tamil Nadu” published in “Down to earth” on 23 January 2024.
Why in the news?
Odisha government has deployed Kumki elephant (domesticated, trained elephants) to reduce human-animal conflict.
About Kumki elephant
1) “Kumki” comes from the Persian word “kumak,” which means “aid.” This name is used all over India, from Bengal to Tamil Nadu.
2) These are trained captive Asian Elephant.
3) They help in patrolling and rescue operation. For example-when any wild elephant gets hurt, Kumki elephant provide medical support.
4) They would help in minimizing conflicts and safeguard both human and wildlife interest.
Why was there a need to employ kumki elephant in odisha?
1) There have been 994 human fatalities and 660 injuries due to elephant attacks in Odisha from 2013-14 to 2022-23, as per government estimates.
2) Crops covering 33,822 acres have been damaged by elephants. This has threatened the livelihood of farmers.
About Asian Elephant
| Aspect | Detail |
| About | The Asian elephant is the largest living land animal in Asia. |
| Population Distribution | 1. It is distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging from India in the west, Nepal in the north, Sumatra in the south, and to Borneo in the east. 2. India is home to about 29,964 elephants as per last census conducted in 2017. 3. Karnataka has the highest number of elephants in India. |
| Conservation Status | Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I IUCN Red List-Endangered. CITES-It is listed in Appendix I of the Convention. |
| Conservation Efforts | 1) Project Elephant: Launched by- the Government of India in 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. Aim-for the protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors. 2) Asian Elephant Specialist Group (AsESG): AsESG is an integral part of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the IUCN. Aim- to promote the long-term conservation of Asia’s elephants and recovery of their populations to viable levels. 3) Gaj Yatra: Launched by- Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Aim-to celebrate elephants and highlight the necessity of securing elephant corridors. 4) Monitoring the Killing of Elephants (MIKE): It is an international collaboration that tracks trends in information related to the illegal killing of elephants from across Africa and Asia to monitor effectiveness of field conservation efforts. 5) Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, C0P 13- adopted the Gandhinagar declaration where the Asian elephant was added to the Global Wildlife Agreement. |
| Threats | Habitat loss, habitat degradation, habitat fragmentation, and poaching. |
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