Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) and Kalpvag Company, has launched the ‘Gaj Rakshak’ mobile app at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to strengthen elephant monitoring, ensure real-time tracking, and mitigate human-elephant conflict.
The app represents a tech-enabled conservation approach, integrating community safety, data-driven tracking, and conservation management.
Key Objectives
- To monitor elephant movements using real-time data.
- To alert local communities when elephants approach villages or farmlands.
- To reduce human-elephant conflict and protect both people and elephants.
- To create a statewide elephant monitoring network in Madhya Pradesh.
Key Features of Gaj Rakshak App
- Real-Time Tracking: Displays elephants’ location, movement, and behavior patterns.
- Alert System: Sends notifications through SMS, voice calls, push alerts, sirens, and WhatsApp messages to warn local residents.
- Offline Mode: Works even in remote forest zones with poor network coverage.
- Field Data Upload: Forest staff can upload photos, record location updates, and specify whether elephants are alone or in herds.
- Community Safety Radius: Residents within a 10 km radius receive alerts to stay cautious.
- Integration with Forest Systems: Helps forest officials plan mitigation and coordinate patrols.
Rising Elephant Population in Bandhavgarh
- In 2018, a herd of 40 elephants entered the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and made it their permanent home.
- As of 2025, their population has risen to around 65 elephants.
- Elephants now roam across Umaria, Shahdol, and Anuppur districts.
- Another group of 19 elephants resides near the Bansagar backwaters, supported by bamboo forests and ample water.
- Reasons for Settlement:
- Year-round water sources
- Rich bamboo availability
- Dense forest cover and hilly terrain
- Abundance of food and protection
This shift shows Bandhavgarh’s transformation into a permanent elephant habitat, reducing cross-border migration from Chhattisgarh.
Expansion Across Madhya Pradesh
- After successful use in Bandhavgarh, the app is being expanded to other protected areas, including:
- Sanjay Dubri Tiger Reserve
- Shahdol, Anuppur, Sidhi, Singrauli, Satna, Umaria, and Dindori districts
- Training sessions have been conducted for forest staff to enable statewide monitoring and conflict mitigation.
Conservation Impact
- Promotes human-wildlife coexistence.
- Reduces crop damage and property loss.
- Protects elephant corridors and habitats.
- Strengthens data-driven wildlife management.
- Serves as a replicable conservation model for other states.
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
- Location: Umaria District, Madhya Pradesh
- Declared as National Park: 1968
- Declared as Tiger Reserve: 1993 under Project Tiger
- Core Area: ~716 sq. km | Buffer Area: ~820 sq. km
- Famous For: High tiger density, diverse flora & fauna
- Vegetation Type: Tropical moist deciduous forest dominated by Sal (Shorea robusta)
- Significance: Increasing elephant population and inter-state wildlife movement corridors with Chhattisgarh and Satpura-Maikal landscape.
Asian Elephant: Key Facts
General Information
- Scientific Name: Elephas maximus
- Largest terrestrial mammal in Asia and a keystone species.
- Gestation Period: 18–22 months
- Lifespan: 60–70 years
- Social Structure: Matriarchal (female-led herds)
Subspecies of Asian Elephant
Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus)
- Widest range; found across mainland India.
Sri Lankan Elephant (E. m. maximus)
- Largest in size; found in Sri Lanka.
Sumatran Elephant (E. m. sumatranus)
- Smallest; found in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Conservation Status
| Organisation / Act | Status |
| IUCN Red List | Endangered (EN) |
| CITES | Appendix I |
| Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 | Schedule I |
| Declared as India’s National Heritage Animal: | 2010 |
Elephant Population in India
- India hosts over 60% of the global Asian elephant population.
- Estimated Number (as per 2017 Census): ~27,312 elephants.
- Top States: Karnataka (~25%), Tamil Nadu, Assam, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Odisha
Elephant Reserves in India
- Total: 33 Elephant Reserves
- Spread Over: 14 States across 10 Elephant Landscapes
- Examples:
- Nilgiri ER (Tamil Nadu–Kerala–Karnataka)
- Mayurbhanj ER (Odisha)
- Wayanad ER (Kerala)
- Kameng ER (Arunachal Pradesh)
- Singhbhum ER (Jharkhand)
Legal Protection:
- These reserves overlap with Tiger Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Reserved Forests, protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
Government Conservation Measures for Elephants
Project Elephant (1992)
- Launched: By Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
- Objectives:
- Protect elephants, their habitats & corridors
- Reduce human-elephant conflicts
- Improve welfare of captive elephants
- Promote scientific research and awareness
Habitat Restoration & Corridor Protection
- Restoration of degraded elephant corridors through afforestation and eco-restoration projects.
Anti-Poaching & Conflict Mitigation
- Formation of Anti-Depredation Squads, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), and Elephant Task Forces.
- Compensation Schemes for human and crop losses.
Technological Measures
- Use of GPS collars, early warning systems, drone surveillance, and now the Gaj Rakshak App.
Awareness & Community Participation
- Public awareness drives, inclusion of local communities in conservation programs, and promotion of eco-tourism.
Significance of Gaj Rakshak Initiative
- Integrates technology + conservation + community safety.
- Reduces human-wildlife conflict in vulnerable districts.
- Strengthens real-time wildlife management in forest landscapes.
- Acts as a model initiative for Project Elephant and other conservation programs.
- Contributes to India’s biodiversity protection and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – particularly SDG 15: Life on Land.