The Integrated Regional Office of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shillong has recommended that Assam notify all nine identified animal corridors of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve. The recommendation was made after a site inspection conducted about five years ago, following directions from the Central Empowered Committee.

What did the report recommend?

• The report recommends notification of all nine animal corridors connecting the protected landscape of Kaziranga.
• Although a committee constituted by the Assam Government approved 37.48 kilometres of corridor length, the Union Ministry’s regional office recommended retaining the larger 44.205 kilometres to ensure safe movement of wild animals.
• The report specifically directed that illegal constructions, whether temporary or permanent and irrespective of their size, should be removed from the identified corridors.
• The Central Empowered Committee has repeatedly sought information from the Assam Government regarding action taken on the recommendations, including through a communication dated 5 March 2026.

Why are animal corridors important?

Animal corridors are natural or protected stretches of land that allow wildlife to move between fragmented habitats. They are particularly important in landscapes where roads, settlements, tourism infrastructure and other human activities increasingly divide wildlife habitats.

For Kaziranga, corridors are crucial because animals need to move between the National Park, adjoining forests and flood-safe areas, particularly during the annual Brahmaputra floods.

Blocking these routes can increase road accidents, human–wildlife conflict, habitat fragmentation and pressure on wildlife populations.

Way Forward

Assam needs to move from paper-based identification to effective ground-level protection of corridors. Corridor notification should be accompanied by removal of encroachments, scientific demarcation, habitat restoration and regulation of infrastructure development.

The larger lesson is simple: protecting a national park is not enough if animals cannot safely move beyond its boundaries.

Exam Hook – Prelims

Consider the following statements:

1. Wildlife corridors help maintain ecological connectivity between fragmented habitats.
2. The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides the principal legal framework for wildlife conservation in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: Both 1 and 2.