Sanctuary Asia - April 2018

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Alarmed at the increasing number of elephant deaths on railway
tracks, Sanctuary Asia wrote a letter, endorsed by leading wildlife
organisations and conservationists requesting Piyush Goyal,
Honorable Minister for Railways and Coal, to take steps to protect
the Asian elephant, India’s National Heritage Animal. Practical
interventions listed by us, and implemented in collaboration with
Forest Departments and credible NGOs, would go a long way in
protecting these ‘Giant Regugees’ from being killed on rail tracks.
Here are some edited Sanctuary reader-responses:

COMMENTS

In West Bengal, trains between NJP to Alipurduar via Malbazar
should be stopped as the track cuts through one of India’s most
vulnerable elephant corridors.
Mousam Ray, Jalpaiguri

We need more voices of support, particularly from vulnerable
areas, asking the Honorable Railway Minister to stop night trains,
particularly goods trains that ply at high speeds through elephant
dominated habitats.
Joydip Kundu, Kolkata

All the 10 points listed by Sanctuary Asia are relevant and
possible to implement.
Partha Pratim Kundu, Kolkata

Money is transitory. Indians should unite to force the government
to divert railway tracks away from biodiverse forests and wildlife
corridors.
Debasis Bose, Kolkata

TWITTER:

Japanese trains bark to prevent accidents with deer. Why
not try something similar that might scare elephants to avoid
train collisions?
Dipendra Khati @DipendraDipzo

Elephant deaths is exactly why we are against the proposed rail

link from Kerala through Kodagu. Such vital elephant corridors

should not be touched.

Bharateeya @Matrimama

Surely India is not so poor as not to be able to spend extra

time and money to save our wildlife. Tigers, lions, elephants and

forests need our support.

Amish Mathur @Mysticamis

Can you put up fencing or even experiment with broadcasting

sounds, such as the buzzing of bees, to keep elephants away

from tracks when trains are approaching?

Cindy Wines @CindyWines1

Which civilised nation turns a blind eye to animal deaths thanks

to man-made paths? @PMOIndia, Is progress only referred to

as job creation and GDP and foreign investments? #wildlife

#india #elephantsintrouble @wti_org_india @ElephantCrisis @

elephantvoices

Arpita @ArpitaBhawal

Either everyone will survive or all will perish. The government

will spend crores on elections but not on installing advance

warning systems. This is bizarre.

DebasisPadhi @DebasisPadhi07

Happening with lions and other wildlife too. Need to take urgent

steps with all stakeholders. Early warning systems are around

and need to be adopted.

Priyvirat Gadhvi @Priyviratgadhvi

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2017