Mumbai, August 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Actress and environmental advocate Dia Mirza has called for stronger government action to protect elephant corridors and preserve the connected landscapes that allow the animals to move safely between their natural habitats.
Marking World Elephant Day on Wednesday, Mirza shared a video on Instagram highlighting the need to look beyond forests and protected areas when planning elephant conservation.
The Sanju actress said elephants have historically travelled across rivers, grasslands, farms and forests in search of food and water, while also moving to find mates and raise their young. She stressed that the fragmentation of these landscapes by roads, railway lines, settlements, mines and other development is threatening their movement and increasing human-elephant conflict.
“Protecting elephants is no longer just about protecting forests. It’s about protecting connectivity,” Mirza said, emphasising the need to keep habitats linked so elephants can move safely between them.
She described this as their “right of passage” and said governments should incorporate ecological connectivity into land-use planning, while businesses must adopt responsible development practices and local communities should remain central to conservation efforts.
Mirza also highlighted the work of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), saying its Right of Passage initiative works with governments, communities and other partners to identify, secure and restore critical elephant corridors.
In her social media message, she noted that the Asian elephant is India’s National Heritage Animal and urged people to support efforts aimed at securing its future.
“Every contribution, big or small, can make a meaningful difference,” she wrote, appealing for collective action to protect elephant corridors.
World Elephant Day is observed annually on August 12 to raise awareness about the threats facing elephants and promote their conservation.
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