Syllabus: GS-III: Conservation

Why in the News?

After a delay of over a year, the Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021–25 results were released on October 14, 2025, in Dehradun by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

The report estimates 22,446 elephants in India, showing a change in population distribution and highlighting emerging conservation challenges, particularly in Jharkhand, Odisha, and the Northeast.

About the Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE)

• SAIEE is the first DNA-based count of elephants in India. 
• The SAIEE is conducted every five years under Project Elephant (launched in 1992) to assess the population, distribution, and health of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in India.
• For the first time, SAIEE 2021–25 was conducted simultaneously with the tiger census to harmonize estimation methods.
• The survey used a new scientific methodology, similar to that employed for tiger population estimation since 2006.

Key Findings of SAIEE 2021–25

• India hosts over 60% of the world’s Asian elephants (about 22,446), making it the largest global population of this endangered species.
• At present Asian elephants are found mainly in four regions- Himalayan foothills, Northeastern States, East-Central India and Eastern & Western Ghats.
• The Western Ghats remains the stronghold, housing more than half of India’s elephants.

Top Five States (by Population)

• Karnataka – 6,013
• Assam – 4,159
• Tamil Nadu – 3,136
• Kerala – 2,785
• Uttarakhand – 1,792

Population Trends and Shifts

• Compared to the 2017 estimation (27,312 elephants), the 2021–25 estimation shows a decline of nearly 18%.
• The sharpest declines were recorded in Jharkhand (-68%) and Odisha (-54%).
• However, Chhattisgarh witnessed a rise of 82.6%, attributed to migration from Odisha and Jharkhand due to mining and habitat degradation.
  

Elephant Distribution and Habitat Corridors

• Western Ghats: The Brahmagiri–Nilgiri–Eastern Ghats block holds the largest sub-population, covering the Mysuru, Nilgiri, Wayanad, Nilambur, and Coimbatore Elephant Reserves.
• Northeast India: Elephants inhabit the Assam-Meghalaya landscape, but habitat fragmentation in Sonitpur, Golaghat, and Karbi Anglong has intensified human-elephant conflict (HEC).
• Central India: New elephant movements recorded in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli indicate migration patterns due to forest degradation in Eastern India.
  

Challenges to Elephant Conservation

1. Habitat Loss and Fragmentation

• Rapid deforestation, agriculture expansion, infrastructure development, and mining have reduced contiguous habitats.
  
• Elephant corridors in Odisha, Jharkhand, and Assam are increasingly fragmented, pushing elephants into human settlements.
  

2. Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC)

• Over 500 human deaths and 100 elephant deaths occur annually due to HEC in India.
  
• Eastern and Central India—though home to less than 10% of the elephant population—accounts for nearly 45% of HEC-related human deaths.
  

3. Linear Infrastructure Development

• Railways, highways, power lines, and canals fragment elephant habitats, leading to train collisions and electrocution.
  
• Example: Elephant deaths along the Siliguri–Alipurduar railway line and in Odisha’s Angul and Dhenkanal districts due to power lines.
  

4. Mining Pressures

• Coal and bauxite mining in Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh has degraded forest quality, driving elephant migration and conflict.
  

5. Poaching and Illegal Trade

• Although reduced due to strong enforcement, ivory poaching and illegal capture for captivity remain sporadic threats.
  

Government Initiatives for Elephant Conservation

• Project Elephant (1992):
  
  • Launched by MoEFCC to protect elephants, their habitat, and migration corridors.
    
• Elephant Corridors and Reserves:
  
  • 33 Elephant Reserves notified across 14 states.
    
  • Key Reserves: Nilgiri, Kaziranga–Karbi Anglong, Singhbhum, and Kameng–Sonitpur.
    
• National Elephant Corridor Project (NECP):
  
  • Focuses on restoration and secure passage across 101 identified elephant corridors.
    
• Gaj Yatra Campaign (2017):
  
  • Public awareness initiative by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and MoEFCC to promote human-elephant coexistence.
    
• Elephant Mortality Task Forces (State-level):
  
  • Set up to monitor unnatural deaths due to electrocution, train collisions, and poaching.
    
• Synchronized Monitoring with Tiger Census:
  
  • Integrates conservation efforts across apex species to ensure ecosystem-level management.
    

International Cooperation

• Asian Elephant Range States Meeting (2022): India hosted 13 Asian countries to adopt the Jaipur Declaration on transboundary conservation.
  
• CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species): Asian elephants listed in Appendix I, prohibiting commercial ivory trade.
  
• World Elephant Day (August 12): Promotes global awareness for elephant conservation.
  

Way Forward

• Landscape-Level Conservation:
  
  • Protect and restore elephant corridors across state boundaries using satellite mapping and eco-sensitive zoning.
    
• Mitigation of Human–Elephant Conflicts:
  
  • Deploy early warning systems, solar fencing, and compensation mechanisms for affected communities.
    
• Regulation of Mining and Infrastructure:
  
  • Enforce Wildlife Clearances (WLPA, 1972) and Eco-sensitive Zone Notifications near elephant habitats.
    
• Scientific Monitoring:
  
  • Strengthen radio-collaring and real-time tracking to monitor herd movement.
    
• Community Participation:
  
  • Involve local forest communities and tribals in conservation under CAMPA and Green India Mission.
    
• Education and Awareness:
  
  • Expand Gaj Yatra-type campaigns for schools and panchayats in elephant-bearing districts.
    

Conclusion

The SAIEE 2021–25 underscores both the conservation success and emerging threats to India’s elephants.
While India remains the stronghold of Asian elephants, unchecked habitat fragmentation, linear infrastructure, and human conflict could reverse this progress.
A shift towards ecological corridors, sustainable mining, and community-led coexistence models is vital for securing the future of the nation’s heritage animals and the ecosystems they sustain.

Mains Practice Question

1. India hosts over 60% of the global Asian elephant population, yet the species faces mounting conservation challenges. Discuss the findings of the Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021–25 in this context and suggest measures for long-term coexistence between humans and elephants.

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