Train hits no longer take toll on elephants

The Times of India

10 Jun 2008

NEW DELHI: Here is some good news for wildlife lovers. In the last six years, no case of elephant deaths due to train-hit has been reported from Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand, thanks to joint effort by the state Forest Department and the Railways.

The railway patrol unit set up in 2002 has been monitoring movement of jumbos on the railway tracks in the Park, home to a large population of Asian elephants, the park's Director and Conservator of Forest G S Pandey said.

After the death of 20 elephants due to train hits since the park was set up in 1986, not a single pachyderm has fallen prey though cases of small animals being fatally hit by speeding vehicles occur frequently.

The task of the patrolling unit, comprising officials from forest department is to keep round-the-clock watch on both sides of the 18 km railway track passing through the park spread over 820.40 square kilometre.

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