Status of Elephants in India Report (2025)

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Why in the News?

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) released the “Status of Elephants in India, 2025” report on October 14, 2025, marking the country’s first-ever DNA-based elephant population estimation. This path-breaking assessment, conducted under Project Elephant (1992), offers a scientific baseline for genetic diversity, corridor connectivity, and conservation planning, redefining how elephant populations are monitored in India.

Background

Species Overview

• Scientific Name: Elephas maximus (Asian Elephant)
• IUCN Status: Endangered
• Protection Status:
• Global Context: India is home to over 60% of the world’s wild Asian elephants, making it a cornerstone of global elephant conservation efforts.

Conservation Framework in India

Project Elephant (1992):

• Launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to protect elephants, their habitats, and migration corridors.
• Focus areas: habitat protection, human–elephant conflict mitigation, research, and anti-poaching.

Elephant Reserves:

• 33 reserves notified across 15 states, covering nearly 80,000 sq. km.

Corridor Protection:

• Joint mapping of 101 elephant corridors by WII, WWF-India, and WTI to maintain landscape-level connectivity.

Ecological Role

• Elephants are known as ecosystem engineers; they disperse seeds, maintain forest–grassland balance, and regulate hydrological cycles, ensuring biodiversity continuity across forested landscapes.

Feature – The 2025 Report

Conduct and Methodology

• Publisher: Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun
• Framework: Implemented under Project Elephant (1992)
• Census Title: Synchronous All-India Population Estimation of Elephants (SAIEE 2021–25)
• Innovation:
  • First DNA-based mark–recapture (genetic) method used in India for large mammals.
  • Combined field transects, dung-DNA sampling, and spatial-capture–recapture modelling for accuracy.

Key Outcomes

Regional Distribution:
Karnataka (6,013) – Assam (4,159) – Tamil Nadu (3,136) – Kerala (2,785) – Uttarakhand (1,792) – Odisha (912).

Demographic and Scientific Insights

• DNA profiling enabled the identification of:
• Sex ratios and breeding patterns.
• Individual movement through migration corridors.
• Genetic Reference Library: India’s first national database for elephants — linking genetic diversity with habitat quality.
• Policy Integration: Aligned with India’s National Biodiversity Targets and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

Challenges

Habitat Fragmentation & Corridor Disruption

• Linear infrastructure (highways, railways, canals) cuts across elephant corridors, restricting migration and gene flow.

Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC)

• Nearly 500 human deaths and 100 elephant deaths annually due to crop raiding and retaliation in conflict zones.

Land-Use Change & Encroachment

• Rapid conversion of forests for agriculture and urban expansion reduces elephant habitats.

Poaching & Illegal Ivory Trade

• Despite bans, illegal ivory trafficking and electrocution-related deaths continue in border states.

Climate Change Impacts

• Drought and erratic rainfall affect food and water availability, forcing elephants to move closer to human settlements.

Lack of Real-Time Data Integration

• Though DNA-based estimation is accurate, the absence of continuous monitoring hampers dynamic conservation response.

Way Forward

Institutionalise Genetic Monitoring

• Repeat DNA-based census every 5 years to track genetic diversity, inbreeding, and population movement.

Restore Elephant Corridors

• Implement the National Elephant Corridor Plan, focusing on eco-bridges, land acquisition, and habitat restoration.

Coexistence-Centric Land Use Planning

• Integrate elephant movement zones into district land-use plans to prevent habitat–settlement overlap.

Strengthen Conflict Mitigation

• Use AI-based early warning systems, solar fencing, insurance coverage, and rapid response teams.

Community-Based Conservation

• Incentivise local communities through eco-development, crop compensation, and community stewardship programs.

Policy Coordination and Funding

• Enhance collaboration among MoEFCC, state forest departments, and local panchayats with dedicated Project Elephant budgets.

International Cooperation

• Strengthen transboundary corridor management with Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh under regional wildlife agreements.

Conclusion

The Status of Elephants in India Report (2025) represents a landmark shift in wildlife monitoring, moving from visual counts to scientific DNA-based estimation.
Although the apparent decline in numbers reflects methodological refinement, not ecological loss, the findings underscore the urgent need for corridor restoration, conflict management, and genetic conservation.