The “Haathi Mere Saathi” campaign was launched by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) in partnership with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). Its primary goal is to enhance conservation and welfare efforts for the Asian elephant, which has been declared India’s National Heritage Animal.

Campaign Highlights

• Officially launched during the Elephant-8 Ministerial Meeting held in Delhi on May 24, 2011.
• The E-8 countries include: India, Botswana, Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Thailand.
• The campaign aims to build companionship and empathy between humans and elephants, through public outreach and education.
• The mascot “Gaju” is the symbol of this initiative, intended to connect emotionally with children and communities.

Target Groups and Vision

• The campaign focuses on local communities in elephant landscapes, youth, and policymakers.
• Plans to establish Gajah Centres across elephant habitats to promote awareness, encourage public participation, and reduce threats faced by elephants.

The Project Tiger Division has been merged with Project Elephant, and a new entity named Project Tiger and Elephant Division has been created under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).