Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, on Thursday, expressed concerns over the declining elephant population in India, citing the recently released census report. The report estimates the current elephant population to be between 18,255 and 26,645, although the results are not directly comparable to previous surveys due to changes in methodology.
“The elephant faces a crisis perhaps not of extinction but of attrition,” Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X, highlighting the various threats to elephant populations.
“The threats come from changing land use, loss of traditional habitats, fragmentation of elephant movement pathways & corridors both within and outside protected areas, pressures from mining and infrastructure projects, invasive plant species, and conflict with humans,” he added.
Ramesh emphasized the need for conservation efforts, pointing out that the amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, introduced three years ago, has not helped the cause. “Haathi is indeed our Saathi,” he said, recalling the declaration of the elephant as India’s national heritage animal in 2010.
The elephant census, conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India, used DNA-based mark-recapture methods to estimate the population. The report highlights the importance of addressing habitat loss, fragmentation, and human-elephant conflict to ensure the long-term survival of elephants in India.
Key Findings
-Estimated Elephant Population: 22,446 (range: 18,255-26,645)
Regional Distribution:
-Western Ghats: 11,934 elephants
-North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra Floodplains: 6,559 elephants
-Shivalik Hills and Gangetic Plains: 2,062 elephants
-Central India and Eastern Ghats: 1,891 elephants
Top Elephant-Holding States:
-Karnataka: 6,013 elephants
-Assam: 4,159 elephants
-Tamil Nadu: 3,136 elephants
-Kerala: 2,785 elephants
-Uttarakhand: 1,792 elephants