Accra:Arannayk Foundation will conduct a nationwide elephant survey as part of the Elephant Conservation Project, a three-year initiative funded by the government and implemented by the Bangladesh Forest Department.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, ASM Jahir Uddin Akon, Project Director of the Elephant Conservation Project, and Dr. Mohammad Abdul Motaleb, Executive Director of Arannayk Foundation, signed the contract for this initiative. Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of Forests, attended the event as the chief guest, as noted in a Facebook post by Arannayk Foundation.
The survey aims to assess wild, migratory, and captive elephant populations, identify movement routes, ecological corridors, and trans-boundary crossings, and locate human-elephant conflict hotspots across Bangladesh. The results will contribute to the Bangladesh Elephant Conservation Action Plan 2028-2037 and help formulate area-specific conflict mitigation strategies and a national digital information system for evidence-based conservation.
Additionally, the project will enhance the capacity of Forest Department officials and Elephant Response Teams, improve emergency response coordination, and support the creation of digital tools for monitoring and reporting on elephants. These efforts are intended to bolster the conservation of Asian elephants and promote safer coexistence between humans and elephants in the country.