By Sangita Iyer | Project Leader
I'm so delighted to report that number of elephant deaths in the northern region of West Bengal seems to have declined this year, compared to 2020. Knock on wood!! Let's hope this trend continues. We've been working on numerous fronts. Aside from from distributing the flashlights, we've also been lobbying the forest authorities, while pursuing legal avenues. My petition to save elephants was heard in the High Court at Calcutta last month.
In regards to the flashlights distribution in the northern region of West Bengal, the COVID cases seem to be under control. We followed all health protocols and have so far distributed close to 400 flashlights. Under normal circustances we would have distributed all 2000 of them. But due to restrictions in the number of people gathering we could only accommodate around 100 people, that too outdoors for most of the gatherings. The image below reveals the excitement on people's faces. Thanks to generous people like you for making this possible.
Meanwhile, we are so excited to share a totally unique project, but incredibly perfect for the Earth Week!! We are sharing this with you before announcing the launch of this campaign on social media.
This has been long time in the making ... a plant nursery to grow elephant fodder!
Odisha elephants can't find food inside the forest patches, as resources rapidly dwindling due to unsustainable development and encroachment. This is pushing distressed and famished elephants outside the forests, forcing them to cross the treacherous national highways to find food, with many of them getting hit and killed by reckless drivers.
We are creating a plant nursery where we can grow 50,000 to 60,000 seedlings of elephant fodder plants, such as Bauhinia vines, jackfruit, and mango. Our site-specific strategy in the Dhenkanal region of Odisha will enable us to nurture and protect saplings from cattle grazing and fire damage for at least two growing seasons. Once the plants mature, we will engage Odisha forest department and local people to plant them in core elephant habitats.
A perfect project to contribute to during this Earth Week! Stand together in solidarity with our Odisha Elephants and let's make sure that they never go hungry!!
CLICK HERE to learn how you can become Champions to Feed Odisha Elephants!
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By Sangita Iyer | Project Leader
By Sangita Iyer | Project Leader
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