Harish Kumar Barigala

The trains speed becoms the threat for the life of the elephants in India.

Bani (name of the elephant) was left orphaned in December after a tragic incident involving a speeding train near Jim Corbett national park in Haldwani. Her mother was killed instantly, while baby Bani was flung into a ditch, suffering serious injuries and fractures. Despite the challenging circumstances, Bani is slowly recovering and showing signs of playfulness, especially when she gets her favorite treat, bananas.

Unfortunately, Bani’s story is not unique, as the threat of trains to wild elephants continues to grow due to railway lines cutting through their habitats and migration corridors. The Indian Railways prioritize cost over wildlife protection when planning routes, leading to more incidents like Bani’s.

The Indian elephant population is already endangered, with habitat loss and fragmentation due to human settlements, roads, and farms. Wildlife SOS provides a sanctuary for rescued elephants, many of whom have suffered abuse and physical disabilities at the hands of humans.

Calls for changes in railway management have intensified, with efforts such as the AI-enabled surveillance system in Tamil Nadu aimed at preventing elephant-train accidents. 

Wildlife SOS believes that if such systems were in place earlier, Bani’s mother would still be alive, and Bani would not be disabled.

The forest is the home of the animals, and the trains are destroying their homes. There is a urgency for installation of AI – enabled accident prevention system and should be followed strictly the speed control of the trains will be surely saving many lives of the elephants from the train accidents.