Dia Mirza urges government to protect elephant corridors, calls for their right of passage
Mumbai, Aug 12
Actress and environmental advocate Dia Mirza has urged the government to take stronger steps towards protecting elephant corridors and ensuring the safe movement of elephants across their natural habitats.
Sharing a message on World Elephant Day, the 'Sanju' actress highlighted the importance of preserving the pathways that elephants have used for generations. In a video shared on Instagram, Dia explained that elephant conservation should not be limited to protecting forests and wildlife sanctuaries. She pointed out that elephants travel across rivers, grasslands, farms and forests in search of food and water, to find mates and raise their young.
She stressed the need to keep landscapes connected so elephants can safely move between different habitats. She referred to this as their "right of passage" and called for collective efforts to secure these vital corridors. For the caption, Dia wrote, "Happy #WorldElephantDay The Asian Elephant is also India's National Heritage Animal. For decades @wildlifetrustofindia has been working to secure a future where elephants can roam freely and safely. Do consider contributing to their efforts to protect elephants and ensure their #RightOfPassage. Every contribution, big or small, can make a meaningful difference. Together, let's stand for India's elephants, our heritage, our shared responsibility#ForeverWild #SDGs ForPeopleForPlanet."
In the video, the 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' actress said, "When we think about protecting elephants, we often picture dense forests and protected areas. But what if I told you that the future of elephants depends just as much on the landscapes beyond these forests? Elephants are among the world's greatest travelers. For thousands of years, they followed ancient pathways across rivers, grasslands, farms and forests, searching for food, for water, finding mates, raising their young and maintaining healthy populations through genetic exchange."
"But today, these ancient routes are disappearing. Expanding roads, railways, settlements, mines, fragmented habitats are breaking landscapes into isolated islands. Elephants are forced into smaller spaces, increasing conflict with people and threatening their long-term survival."
Dia Mirza added, "Science is now unequivocal. Protecting elephants is no longer just about protecting forests. It's about protecting connectivity. It is about ensuring that landscapes remain connected so elephants can continue to move safely between habitats, just as they have for centuries. This is what we call right of passage. Securing these lifelines requires all of us. It requires governments to integrate connectivity into land use planning. It requires businesses to build responsibly. It requires local communities who are the true stewards of these landscapes."
"And it requires conservation organizations to bring science, partnerships, and solutions together. At Wildlife Trust of India, through the Right of Passage initiative, we have been working with governments, communities, and partners across the country to identify, secure, and restore these critical elephant corridors, ensuring that development and conservation can move forward together. This World Elephant Day, let's change the way we think about conservation."
World Elephant Day is observed every year on August 12 to raise awareness about the challenges faced by elephants worldwide.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Absolutely agree with Dia. We have seen what happens when we ignore this - train accidents killing elephants, farmers losing crops, and elephants wandering into cities. The 'right of passage' concept is beautiful and necessary. But we also need to think about the people living near these corridors. Need a balanced approach.
Good message but this is easier said than done. We have to balance development with conservation. Our villages need roads, our economy needs railways and mines. The real solution is smarter planning, not just stopping everything. Dia's point about integrating connectivity into land use planning is the key.
What Dia is saying is 100% true. I am from Assam and we see elephants crossing highways all the time. The government needs to build elephant underpasses and overpasses like they do in Kenya. This is not just about protecting animals, it's about protecting our heritage. The elephant is our national heritage animal after all! 🙏
As someone who has visited India multiple times for wildlife photography, I can say that the elephant corridors in the Western Ghats are crucial not just for India but for global biodiversity. Great to see Indian celebrities taking up this cause. Respect to Dia Mirza for using her voice responsibly.
The point about local communities being the true stewards is so important. We should involve farmers and villagers in conservation efforts, maybe compensate them properly for crop damage. When communities benefit from conservation, they protect it. Just saying protect corridors won't work without grassroots support.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.