Siju-Rewak, Garo Hills, Meghalaya, INDIA
From the World Land Trust:
The Siju-Rewak Corridor, located in the Garo Hills, protects an important population (thought to be approximately 20% of all the elephants that survive in the country), by addressing the problem of forest fragmentation which is a serious threat to the elephants’ survival.
This corridor project links together the Siju Wildlife Sanctuary and the Rewak Reserve Forest in Meghalaya State, close to the India-Bangladesh border. This area lies within the meeting place of the Himalayan Mountain Range and the Indian Peninsula and contains at least 139 other species of mammal, including Tiger, Clouded Leopard and the Himalayan Black Bear.
What is particularly important about the area of forest that World Land Trust protects is that it contains one of only four crossing points for elephants along the Simsang River, the length of which almost divides the Garo Hills in two. Most of the river has steep rocky sides, which are impossible for an elephant to maneuver. In contrast, the Elephant Corridor has gentle sandy beaches on both sides of the river, where elephants can cross easily.”
Resources
Johnsingh, A.J.T. and C. Williams. 1999. Elephant corridors in India: lessons for other elephant range countries. Oryx 33(3): 210-214. (E-mail: ajtjohnsingh@wii.gov.in)
Kumar, A. et al. 2010. Designing a protected area network for conservation planning in Jhum landscapes of Garo Hills, Meghalaya. Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing 38: 501-512. (E-mail: ask.jalasri@gmail.com)
