How many elephants are in India? You'll know by 2025
What's the story
India, home to over 60% of the world's wild Asian elephants, will not receive the results of its latest elephant census until June 2025.
The delay is attributed to complications in some northeastern states.
Wild elephants in India are predominantly found in four regions: the foothills of the Himalayas, northeastern states, east-central India, and the Western and Eastern Ghats.
Census challenges
Elephant census in Northeast hampered by monsoon rains, floods
The delay in the elephant census is primarily due to heavy monsoon rains, floods, and the limited capacity of forest staff in the northeastern states.
The process involves creating shapefiles, capacity building, data collection, and data processing.
Consequently, the numbers from this elephant estimation exercise will not be available until June of the following year.
Warden statements
Wildlife wardens acknowledge challenges in elephant census
SM Sahai, Chief Wildlife Warden of Meghalaya, confirmed that the elephant population estimation using the new methodology is taking longer than expected.
Sandeep Kumar, Chief Wildlife Warden of Assam, added that the exercise took longer due to difficult terrain, monsoonal rains and floods, and the inclusion of revenue areas frequented by elephants along with forest areas.
Methodology update
Introduction of new census methodology in 2021
In 2021, the Union Environment Ministry announced a new methodology for conducting the elephant census.
This scientific approach involves collecting and analyzing DNA samples from elephant dung, supplemented by camera trap results.
The new method is anticipated to enhance understanding of elephants and aid in curbing the illegal smuggling of their body parts.
Census overview
India's elephant population in 2017 census
The 2017 census revealed that India has 29,964 elephants across 110,000 square kilometers, with 65,000 square kilometers designated as 33 elephant reserves.
The northeast region is home to 10,139 elephants, the east-central region has 3,128, the northwest has 2,085, and the southern region has 11,960.
Karnataka leads with the highest number of elephants at 6,049.