Acting on the recommendation of a task force, the government has now decided to declare the elephant a 'national heritage animal' and launch a major conservation exercise to protect the elephants. It will soon set up a National Elephant Conservation Authority, on the lines of National Tiger Conservation Authority.

An Elephant Task Force set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests submitted its report today, recommending a wide range of measures including financial allocation of Rs 600 crore in the twelfth five year plan for the preservation and protection of elephants. It has noted that the elephant population in the country was in the range of 25, to 27,000, out of which about 3,500 were in captivity. The elephant population is suffering on account of shrinking habitats, increase in human-elephant encounters and widespread poaching of elephants for ivory.

"Elephant habitats are under tremendous pressure. Rapid economic expansion and development pressures require far more attention than land use plans from an ecological perspective. New knowledge needs to be brought in regarding the population and habitat assessment," the report said.

The task force has recommended the declaration of ten 'elephant landscapes' and 32 elephant reserves spread over 65,000 sq km of land.

The Environment Ministry has accepted all the recommendations of the task force. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said his ministry would move an amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act in the winter session of the Parliament to enable the establishment of the National Elephant Conservation Authority.