The Corbett Tiger Reserve management has received hundreds of photographs from the public in response to its request for photographs of adult elephant tuskers within the tiger reserve. These photographs will be used to make a tusker identification manual for the Corbett tiger reserve.
The management of CTR has requested photographers to submit photos taken of adult elephant tuskers between 2010 and 2015 to help develop a tusker identification manual. The photographs should have been taken within the boundary of CTR. The photographs should be clear enough to identify the tusker and if possible should include photographs taken from the front, side and back of the elephant. All photos used will be acknowledged and photo credits will be given. These photographs may be used by CTR for management purposes such as research, monitoring, awareness and training.
Talking to The Pioneer, the CTR deputy director Dr Saket Badola said that hundreds of photographs of tuskers had been received so far. He said, “Each elephant has some characteristic features which can be used to identify it. We have not yet set any last date for submission of photographs. We will later sift through the photographs received and use the selected ones in our tusker identification manual which will be only for internal circulation. Using the identification manual will help the Corbett staff to ascertain the movement pattern of tuskers which in turn will prove useful in wildlife management and protection apart from other aspects,” he said. The sought photographs of the tuskers can be e-mailed to corbetttuskerphotos@gmail.com.
It is worth mentioning here that the elephant population in CTR has grown from 622 in 2007 to 1035 in 2015. In order to ensure adequate fodder for the pachyderms the Corbett management has planted more than 2,500 ficus trees- favoured by the jumbos for food. The plantation of these trees is still being carried out. Wildlife experts point out that bull elephants are very important also because they are known to play an instrumental role in shaping the landscape and developing paths used by pachyderms and other wildlife.