Hojai Elephant Deaths Spark Rethink on Corridor-Based Conservation

The death of eight elephants in a train collision in Hojai district has renewed concerns over the effectiveness of designated elephant corridors in Assam. Studies show 67 elephants were killed in train accidents between 2000 and 2023, many outside notified corridors, including the latest incident.

Railways cited the absence of a designated corridor to justify no speed restrictions, while conservationists warned that habitat fragmentation has pushed elephants beyond traditional routes. Conservationist Kaushik Barua said limiting mitigation to notified corridors is inadequate as tracks cut across broader elephant movement areas.

According to Aaranyak, the Northeast has 48 notified corridors, but several are impaired or witnessing reduced movement. Aaranyak secretary general Bibhab Talukdar stressed that elephants are adopting new routes due to habitat loss, increasing rail crossings beyond corridors, and called for proactive vigilance beyond corridor boundaries.