The Tamil Nadu government has formally notified three elephant corridors within the Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary in the Hosur forest division, strengthening habitat connectivity and enabling the safe seasonal movement of elephant herds between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The gazette notification, issued by Kakarla Usha, Additional Chief Secretary of the Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, covers more than 10,300 hectares of reserve forests and wildlife sanctuary land.

The Three Corridors at a Glance

The corridors formally recognised under the notification are Jawalagiri–Ulibanda–Thaggatti, Jawalagiri–Panai–Anchetty, and Billikkal–Jawalagiri. The largest, Jawalagiri–Panai–Anchetty, extends 20.90 km and encompasses 6,881.47 hectares. The Jawalagiri–Ulibanda–Thaggatti corridor covers 3,241.53 hectares along an 18.50-km stretch. The smallest, Billikkal–Jawalagiri, runs 2.20 km and covers nearly 196 hectares.

Why the Corridors Were Notified

The gazette notification follows interim directions from the Madras High Court and recommendations by committees appointed to identify elephant corridors and address obstacles to their conservation. A report by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden identified the three routes as critical for the seasonal movement of elephant herds. Elephants regularly cross the Tamil Nadu–Karnataka border in response to monsoon patterns, shifting water and fodder availability, breeding cycles, and broader habitat conditions.

What the Notification Changes — and What It Does Not

Since all three corridors fall within existing reserve forests or protected sanctuary areas, the notification will not alter the legal classification of the land. It will also not impose additional restrictions on local residents, as these landscapes are already governed by reserve forest and wildlife protection provisions. Formal recognition is, however, expected to elevate conservation priority for these routes and improve coordination between forest departments on both sides of the state border.

Broader Conservation Impact

Beyond immediate protection, the notification is expected to support long-term landscape planning, wildlife monitoring, and targeted restoration of degraded habitat patches along the migration routes. Authorities also anticipate it will guide measures to reduce human-elephant conflict in settlements near these corridors — a persistent challenge across the Krishnagiri and adjoining districts. The notification will be published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette and the Krishnagiri district gazette, completing the formal recognition process. This comes amid growing national attention on elephant corridor protection, with the Supreme Court and various high courts having directed states to expedite corridor notifications in recent years.