The IUCN recognizes the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) as an endangered species. The population of this charismatic species has declined by over 50% in the past 60 to 75 years. Indian forests are a vital habitat of the Asian elephants and about 60% of the global population of Asian elephants reside in the country.
In India, the presence of wild elephants has been recorded mainly in four regions in the country. These are :- 1. Northern region; 2. East-central region; 3. Northeastern region; and 4. Southern region.
A nationwide elephant census is conducted every five years in India. The most recent census of elephants in India has been conducted in 2017 and the preliminary results based on the “sighting-based direct count” method are out. According to the results, India’s total elephant population is 27,312 in 23 states of the country. The advanced results will be available to us once the figures from the more accurate indirect dung-count method are out.
When the preliminary result of the 2017 census is compared with the result of the 2012 census which estimated India’s elephant population to be between 29,391 and 30,711, it appears that the number of elephants in India has decreased over the years. However, according to experts, this might not be the case. During the 2012 census, different methods were used to count elephants in different parts of India and the efforts were not synchronized. Thus, duplication and errors could have given higher figures.
As per the 2017 preliminary elephant census figures, 55% of the elephant population of India is concentrated in the Southern region, mainly in the two southern states of Karnataka and Kerala. The Southern region has 11,960 elephants. The North-east region comes next with 10,139 elephants. This is followed by the East-central region with 3,128 elephants and the Northern region with 2,085 elephants.
Also, as per the 2017 preliminary elephant census report, Karnataka has 6,049 elephants, the highest in the country. This state is followed by Assam with 5,719 elephants and Kerala with 3,054 elephants.
The table below mentions the state-wise distribution of elephants in India as per the preliminary results of the 2017 elephant census:
The relatively stable population of Asian elephants in India might appear to be a reason to rejoice. However, the fact is that human-elephant conflicts have dramatically risen over the past few decades. The clearance of forest lands to create space for human habitation and agriculture, and other developmental projects, have subjected the elephants of India to smaller habitats. Since elephants migrate in search of food sources, their movements between heavily fragmented habitats have brought them face to face with humans. This has often led to deaths of both humans and elephants. Poaching of elephants has also served as a serious issue affecting India’s wild elephant population.
Thus, an attempt must be made to end man-animal conflicts and poaching in India’s forests.
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