The World Conservation Union (IUCN) has been implementing a project entitled “Action Research for Conservation of Asian Elephants in Bangladesh” with financial support from US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The Phase I (November 2001–April 2003) and Phase II (April 2004–June 2005) of the project were successfully completed in collaboration with Forest Department, Bangladesh.
The Phase III of the project has started in November 2006 with overall goal to conserve Asian Elephants in Bangladesh.

To conserve the Asian Elephants in Bangladesh for maintaining the biological diversity and ecological integrity of the country.

To develop and establish a sustainable system through improving the habitat conditions for Asian Elephant and making the forest dwelling communities aware of the importance of conserving these animals, and consequently minimize the conflicts between human and elephants in some selected areas of Cox’s Bazar and Sherpur by April 2008.

• Degraded habitats of elephants in selected areas restored and protected
• Capacity and awareness levels of the local communities for conservation of wild elephants enhanced
• Local people mobilized for minimizing human-elephant conflicts
• Operationalization of the draft compensation guideline facilitate

The project activities will be concentrated in Cox’s Bazar Districts (Ringbhong area of Fasiakhali Range of Cox’s Bazar North Forest Division and Teknaf Game Reserve of Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division) and Sherpur (Mymensingh Forest Division) of Bangladesh.

The whole work will be accomplished by involving all relevant stakeholders and on a participatory basis. The relevant stakeholders are,

• Local communities
• Educational institutions
• Forest Department, Bangladesh
• Concerned Ministries
• Research Institutes and projects
• Resource persons

1. Mapping of elephant movement paths including corridors and human-elephant conflict prone areas
2. Negotiating and convincing the Forest Department for elephant fodder plantation
3. Fodder plantation involving local communities
4. Facilitating GoB in protecting key elephant habitats
5. Networking with existing initiatives on elephant conservation
6. Capacity building of local stakeholders on elephant conservation and conflict reduction
7. Awareness programs on elephant conservation at local and national level
8. Demonstration of bio-fencing
9. Facilitating the community to replicate bio-fencing
10. Assisting local community with tools to tackle elephant attack
11. Advocacy with the government for operationalization of the draft compensation guideline
12. Project monitoring and evaluation

1. Two Peer Group meetings were organized at the 'Forest Department, Bangladesh' Dhaka Office in November 2006 and January 2007 where the experts advised on the methodology and approaches of different project interventions.
2. The project villages have been selected in two Reserve Forest areas in Cox's Bazar District.
3. Baseline survey of 80 households of Cox’s Bazar North and South Forest Divisions conducted. Four group discussions in Cox’s Bazar North and South Forest Divisions and three in Sherpur (Mymensingh Forest Division). These will form a good database on the present condition of elephant population, elephant habitat, people's awareness level and human-elephant conflict scenario in the project areas.
4. Elephant fodder plantation completed involving the Forest Officials and local communities at the end of June 2007 and according to the plan developed earlier.
5. Forest Department, Bangladesh has formally been requested in February 2007 to incorporate elephant fodder plantation in its regular plantation programme in elephant ranges to improve elephant habitats.
   
6. A community meeting was organized in Fashiakhali Forest Range, one project site, on 19 February 2007 with the local government representatives, concerned forest officials and other service providing government agencies and was very fruitful. People recommended a number of suggestions for conserving elephant and reducing HEC in the area. One important recommendation was declaration of Fasiakhali Range as a ‘Wildlife Sanctuary’. The second community meeting was held on April 23, 2007 in Shilkhali, Teknaf. The meeting was jointly organized by IUCN Bangladesh and Nishorgo Support Project of Forest Department, Bangladesh. Posters and leaflets on elephant conservation were disseminated on both occations.