Wild Elephant Numbers Decline by 18% – DNA-Based Census

Wild Elephant Latest News

• India’s first-ever DNA-based elephant census has estimated 22,446 wild elephants, showing an 18% decline since 2017.

Elephants in India: Symbol of Heritage and Ecological Balance

• Elephants hold deep ecological, cultural, and spiritual significance in India. 
• Revered in mythology as symbols of strength and wisdom, elephants are also keystone species, playing a vital role in maintaining forest ecosystems. 
• India is home to over 60% of the global Asian elephant population, making it crucial to the survival of the species.
• Habitat and Distribution
  • Asian elephants in India are distributed across four major landscapes: the Western Ghats, North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra floodplains, Shivalik Hills and Gangetic plains, and Central India and Eastern Ghats. 
  • Major elephant-bearing states include Karnataka, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttarakhand, and Odisha. Together, these states account for more than 80% of India’s elephant population.
• Threats to Elephant Populations
  • Habitat fragmentation and encroachment due to agriculture, mining, and infrastructure projects.
  • Human-elephant conflict often results in loss of lives and property on both sides.
  • Poaching for ivory and retaliatory killings.
  • Barriers to migration corridors, including railways, highways, and power lines, disrupt traditional movement patterns.
  • Invasive plant species and land-use changes, particularly in the Western Ghats and Northeast, are further degrading habitats.
• Conservation Status and Legal Protection
  • The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is included in Schedule I of India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, providing the highest level of legal protection. 
  • It is also included in Appendix I of CITES, which prohibits international trade of elephant parts.
• Conservation Efforts in India
  • India has implemented several measures for elephant conservation, including:
  • Project Elephant (1992) – A flagship initiative to ensure long-term conservation and management of elephants and their habitats.
  • Elephant Corridors Programme – Identification and protection of 101 critical corridors across India to facilitate safe migration.
  • Gaj Yatra Campaign – A nation-wide awareness initiative promoting coexistence between humans and elephants.
  • Technology-based monitoring – Use of satellite mapping, camera traps, and mobile apps such as M-Stripes for population estimation and conflict management.

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News Summary – India’s First DNA-Based Elephant Census Sets a New Benchmark

• India’s wild elephant population has been estimated at 22,446, according to the Synchronous All-India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021–25, released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Project Elephant, and the Wildlife Institute of India. 
• This marks an 18% decline from the 2017 estimate of 27,312 elephants, though officials emphasise that the figures are “not directly comparable” due to the introduction of new, scientific methodology.
• The latest estimation, India’s first-ever DNA-based count, provides a new baseline for future monitoring and conservation planning. 
• It used genetic mark-recapture methods, previously employed for tiger population surveys, to offer a more accurate picture of elephant abundance and distribution.

How the DNA-Based Census Was Conducted

• The 2025 elephant census combined ground-based surveys, satellite mapping, and DNA fingerprinting.
• Over 21,000 dung samples were collected from elephant landscapes across 20 states.
• DNA extracted from these samples helped identify 4,065 unique elephants using genetic markers.
• The final population estimate was derived through a mark-recapture model, which extrapolates total population size based on identified individuals.
• The exercise covered 6.7 lakh km of forest trails and examined over 3.1 lakh dung plots.
• Unlike traditional methods, which relied on direct sightings or dung-decay rates, the new approach provides a statistically robust, non-invasive, and replicable method for long-term monitoring.

Key Findings of the 2025 Report

• Total Population: 22,446 elephants (range: 18,255-26,645).
• Regional Distribution:
  • Western Ghats: 11,934 elephants (largest stronghold).
  • 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.
• State-Wise Leaders:
  • Karnataka: 6,013 elephants (highest), Assam: 4,159, Tamil Nadu: 3,136, Kerala: 2,785, Uttarakhand: 1,792, Odisha: 912

Ecological Insights and Conservation Concerns

• The report emphasises the fragmentation of elephant habitats across key landscapes, with corridors increasingly disrupted by railways, roads, hydropower projects, and encroachments. 
• In the Western Ghats, elephants are losing connectivity due to coffee and tea plantations, fencing, and land-use changes. In Central India, mining pressures remain a major threat.
• Experts note that while the apparent decline in population may partly reflect methodological improvements, it also underscores real pressures on elephant habitats. 
• The government has therefore called for stronger enforcement of habitat protection, restoration of ecological corridors, and community-based conflict mitigation measures.

Significance of the New Baseline

• The SAIEE 2025 marks a scientific milestone in wildlife monitoring, establishing a reliable and repeatable framework for tracking elephant populations. 
• Officials assert that this new approach will enable better integration of genetic, spatial, and ecological data, thereby strengthening India’s ability to plan conservation strategies under Project Elephant 2.0, a revamped version currently being drafted.

Source: TH | IE