Wildlife Research and Conservation Society

We are delighted to announce the official release of the Photographic Dossier of Wild Elephants of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, unveiled on 29th July 2025 during a prestigious ceremony held at Bhopal. The event was graced by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav, the Hon’ble State Forest Minister, Shri Dilip Ahirwar, and senior officials from the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. Their presence underscored the significance of this milestone in advancing wildlife conservation and ecological research in the region.

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This initiative was made possible through a collaborative effort between TNC – The Nature Conservancy Centre, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. It aims to deepen understanding of elephant movement and behavior across the landscape, with the ultimate goal of promoting long-term monitoring, conflict mitigation, and sustainable habitat planning. In its initial phase, the team successfully identified 24 individual elephants, laying the foundation for a robust photographic database and future conservation strategies.

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We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Aseem Shrivastava (PCCF, HOFF), Mr. Subharanjan Sen (PCCF Wildlife), Dr. Anupam Sahay (Field Director, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve), and Mr. P. K. Varma (Deputy Director, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve) for their unwavering support and leadership throughout the project. Their guidance was instrumental in shaping the direction and success of this initiative.

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The dossier release was attended by key representatives from our partner organizations, including Mr. Sushil Sehgal, Ms. Sunpreet Kaur, and Ms. Meera Makwana from TNC, and Mr. Jayant Kulkarni and Dr. Prachi Mehta from WRCS. We also acknowledge the contributions of Dr. Rajashekhar Niyogi (Project Manager), and offer special recognition to Mr. Alfred Jemy, Mr. Anit Bansode, and Mr. Siddharth Dixit for their dedicated efforts in building the initial photographic database.

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This milestone reflects the collective commitment of all partners to safeguard wild elephants and foster harmonious coexistence with local communities. It marks a significant advancement in conservation science, community engagement, and landscape-level planning—reinforcing Madhya Pradesh’s leadership in wildlife stewardship and ecological innovation.