Description
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is soliciting project proposals for the conservation of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) throughout its range. The goal of this program is to reduce threats to Asian elephants in their natural habitats. Proposals should identify specific conservation actions that have a high likelihood of creating lasting benefits. Project activities that emphasize data collection and status assessment should describe a direct link to management action, and explain how lack of information has been a key limiting factor for management action in the past. Some examples of supported projects include:
* Support of protected area/reserve management and law enforcement in Asian elephant ranges
* Applied research on elephant populations and their habitats, including surveys and monitoring
* Activities that result in fewer wild elephants being removed from the wild, reduce demand in consumer countries for ivory and other body parts, and prevent illegal killing of elephants
* Development and execution of elephant conservation management plans
* Compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and other applicable treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of elephants or regulate the use and management of elephant habitat
* Strengthening local capacity and enhancing community engagement to implement conservation programs that enhance conservation stewardship
* Efforts to decrease human-elephant conflict
* Transfrontier elephant conservation
* Enhancing the knowledge of decision makers and other stakeholders to positively influence wildlife conservation, management, legislation, policy, and finance.