Guwahati, Nov 19: A tusker from a herd of approximately 50 elephants was successfully radio-collared in Baksa district, Assam, on November 18, marking a significant milestone in wildlife conservation. This ambitious initiative, led by the Assam Forest Department and Baksa Forest Division under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), was carried out with active support from the Baksa District Administration and police.
The operation took place in the Jartaluk area under the leadership of Dr C. Ramesh, Field Director of Manas Tiger Reserve, and was supervised by Golap Baniya, DFO, Baksa Forest Division. The elephant was tranquillized by a team of expert veterinarians, forest officials, and biologists. After the procedure, the tusker rejoined its herd.
The initiative was supported by the SBI Foundation and Prof. Curtis Griffin from the University of Massachusetts, USA, and facilitated by Aaranyak, a premier biodiversity conservation organization in Northeast India.
“We led the veterinary team from Assam State Zoo, providing essential medicines, tranquillizing guns, and related support to ensure the radio-collaring was successful. This will aid in tracking the elephant’s movements and managing human-elephant conflict more effectively,” said Ashwini Kumar, DFO of Assam State Zoo.
Sanjay Prakash, Managing Director of the SBI Foundation, lauded the effort, stating, “This achievement underscores the importance of a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach to wildlife conservation. It is a milestone in mitigating human-elephant conflict and enhancing conservation strategies. We extend our gratitude to the Assam Forest Department, Aaranyak, and all partners involved.”
Kaushik Barua, a key figure in the operation, explained, “Radio-collaring provides valuable insights into elephant occupancy and movement, aiding in conflict mitigation and conservation efforts.”
The operation involved wildlife biologists, researchers, local stakeholders, and organizations such as Green Globe and WWF India. The GPS-enabled satellite radio collar will track the elephant’s migratory patterns, habitat preferences, and herd behaviour. Additionally, it will serve as an early alert system to prevent human-elephant conflicts.
Dr Bibhuti Prasad Lahkar, Senior Conservation Scientist with Aaranyak and Head of its Elephant Research and Conservation Division (ERCD), emphasized the scientific benefits: “Radio-collaring allows us to study the elephants’ ecology, habitat use, and movements, contributing to better conservation strategies.”
Dr Lahkar acknowledged the dedicated efforts of Aaranyak’s biologists—Hiten Kumar Baishya, Abhijit Boruah, Anushka Saikia, and Dibakar Nayak—who monitored the elephant for two months leading up to the operation.
The veterinary team included Dr Bhaskar Choudhury from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), Dr Prabhat Basumatary from Manas Tiger Reserve, and Dr Debabrat Phukan from Assam State Zoo, with technical assistance from the zoo’s team.
This initiative represents a significant step forward in addressing human-elephant conflicts and ensuring the long-term conservation of elephants in Assam.
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