New Delhi: Elephants numbers in India are estimated to have declined by 20 percent overall since 2017, while the figures have risen for Karnataka, from 6,049 jumbos in 2017 to 6,395 in 2022-23.
Karnataka was followed by Assam with 5,719 elephants, and Kerala with 3,054 elephants in 2017 while Maharashtra ranked the lowest with only six.
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), an autonomous body under the environment ministry, conducts the elephant census every five years, and the last such exercise was conducted in 2017. The exercise estimated 27,312 elephants across 23 states by direct count method.
The ‘Status of Elephants in India 2022-23’ report was due for release this June after having been delayed due to data collection for the Northeast. The delay was attributed to limited forest staff, monsoon rainfall and floods in the region, as well as employment of new scientific methodology. The report is yet to be published.
According to a report in The Indian Express last year, data from the unreleased 2022-23 census showed a 20 percent dip in the elephant population from that of five years ago, especially in the east-central and southern region.
It said a loss of 41 percent compared to 2017 had been observed from Central India and Eastern Ghats. South West Bengal observed an 84 percent reduction, Jharkhand observed a 68 percent reduction and Odisha witnessed 54 percent reduction in elephant population.
Foresters counted 6,395 elephants across Karnataka in 2023, according to reports.
In 2017, 11,960 elephants were counted in the southern region, 10,139 in Northeastern region, 3,128 in the east-central region, and 2,085 in the Northwest region.
According to the 2017 report, elephants are distributed over 22 forest divisions in Arunachal Pradesh, 36 in Assam, 9 in North West Bengal, 12 in Jharkhand and Uttarakhand, 33 in Karnataka, and 37 forest divisions in Kerala. Feral elephants were found on Interview Island and the Diglipur Forest Division in northern Andamans, and 30 elephants are observed to have moved seasonally from Nepal to the Katarniyaghat region in Uttar Pradesh.
The 2017 census was an outcome of the direct count method, whereas the latest census scheduled for release employs a new methodology. Indirect dung count method was employed only in Tripura, Nagaland and Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2017.
In 2021, the environment ministry announced that it would analyse DNA samples from elephant dung, supplemented by camera trap results, for the count.
DNA profiling of elephants is expected to not only enhance understanding of the species and challenges they face, but also help curb poaching and smuggling of tusks.
A major reason for fall in elephant numbers in recent years is likely mining and linear projects causing human-elephant conflict.
According to data presented in the monsoon session of Parliament last year, 528 elephants were lost in the past five years due to unnatural causes, including poisoning, train accidents, poaching, and electrocution.
Last month, at the 21st meeting of the committee for Project Elephant chaired by Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, a review of key initiatives was undertaken. According to the ministry, Phase I of the synchronised elephant population estimation has been completed for the Northeastern states.
Regarding elephant mortality due to collisions with trains, 77 high-risk areas were identified, 3,452.4 km of sensitive railway stretches were surveyed, and action plans on human-elephant conflict in southern and Northeastern India were discussed.
With 1,911 genetic profiles completed across 22 states, the review meeting noted progress on DNA profiling of captive elephants. Emphasising on the death of elephants due to railway accidents, Yadav urged the need for systematic collection and analysis of data. He also urged the Indian Railways, Ministry of Power, highways authority and mine developers to cooperate to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
Riju Chanda is an intern with ThePrint
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