Supreme Court orders nationwide survey of elephant corridors and prohibits state blockades

Gist The Supreme Court has directed the Union government to conduct a nationwide survey of traditional elephant corridors and ensure they remain free from artificial blockades. The Court ruled that individual States cannot obstruct these interstate routes under the pretext of mitigating human-animal conflict or preventing crop destruction. For a UPSC aspirant, this ruling is significant as it reinforces the supremacy of absolute legal protection for endangered species over localized agricultural concerns and highlights the need for interstate coordination in wildlife conservation. Background - Indian elephants are highly nomadic animals that rely on traditional migratory routes, known as elephant corridors, to move between fragmented forest habitats. - They are classified as a Schedule I species under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 , granting them the highest degree of absolute legal protection. - As human populations expand, these historical corridors are frequently encroached upon by agriculture and settlements, leading to severe human-animal conflict. - To protect crops, locals and sometimes state authorities resort to blocking these routes or using violent dispersal methods. Prior to this directive, in 2018 , the…