The death of seven elephants after being hit by a train in Assam has once again exposed the risks that India’s railway tracks pose to wildlife. The herd, including three adults and four calves, was crossing a stretch of track known for elephant movement — though it was not officially designated as a corridor. The impact though derailed the engine and several coaches, no passengers were injured.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, describing the incident as deeply distressing, ordered a detailed inquiry. “We are deeply saddened by the death of seven elephants – three adults and four calves – in a tragic train collision earlier today. I have directed the Forest Department to conduct a detailed enquiry on this deeply disturbing accident and take steps to further secure our wildlife corridors, particularly during low visibility seasons,” he posted after the tragic incident, which, incidentally, is not an isolated one.
According to the Wildlife Trust of India, more than 160 elephants have been killed in train accidents in India since 1987 and Assam accounts for the highest 36% of them followed by West Bengal at around 26%. Railway accidents are, in fact, a major threat to wildlife nationwide. Elephants often cross tracks outside designated corridors, where trains travel at high speeds and forests are reduced to narrow strips along railway lines.
In the past three decades hundreds of elephants have been killed by trains in India, with estimates ranging from over 220 to more than 280 deaths between 1987 and 2018. Some reports cite 186 deaths between 2009 and 2020, exact figures vary due to underreporting.
India has identified about 150 elephant corridors across 15 states under Project Elephant, including several crucial landscapes in Assam. Elephant corridors are vital land strips connecting fragmented habitats, allowing safe movement for the tuskers critical for biodiversity and reducing human-elephant conflict. However, many of them are said to be blocked by encroachment, roads, and railway tracks. Officials say unless these critical corridors are formally notified and restored, habitat fragmentation will worsen and movement become more dangerous for elephants.
Though less frequent, train collisions have also killed tigers. Madhya Pradesh has reported several tiger deaths linked to railway lines, including a recent one from the Ratapani Tiger Reserve. These incidents prompted the state forest department to urge railway authorities to implement mitigation measures such as fencing, underpasses, improved signage, and stricter speed regulation.