Status of Elephants in India
( UPSC Prelims)
News Context
The Synchronous All India Population Estimation of Elephants (SAIEE) 2021-25 represents India's inaugural DNA-based elephant census, carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) as part of Project Elephant.
Key Findings of the report
India is home to approximately 60% of the world's total Asian Elephant wild population, making it the largest globally with over 22,000 elephants. These elephants are primarily found in four forested hill regions: the Himalayan foothills, the Northeastern states, East-central India, and the Western/Eastern Ghats, with a small feral population in the Andaman Islands. The Western Ghats host the largest population of wild elephants, followed by the North Eastern Hills and the Brahmaputra Flood Plains. Karnataka supports the highest population, followed by Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. The main threats to these elephants include changing land use, habitat shrinkage and fragmentation, Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC), linear infrastructure, and fatalities due to electrocution and collisions.
Asian Elephants (Elaphas maximus)
Characteristics:
● Largest land mammal on the Asian continent.
● 3 Sub-species: Indian, Sumatran, and Sri Lankan.
● Highly intelligent animals with strong family bonds and sophisticated forms of communication.
● Complex social structures led by a matriarch (a female leads the group).
● Life span: 60-70 years.
● Longest gestation period in mammals: 22 months.
Habitat:
○ Found in dry to wet forest and scrubland/grassland habitats across 13 range countries.
Role of Elephants in Ecosystem:
○ Create pathways for other animals in dense forests, contribute to the creation of micro ecosystems, and aid in seed dispersal, maintaining forest diversity.
Conservation Measures:
● Project Elephant: Initiated in 1992.
● 33 Elephant Reserves in 14 major Elephant states.
Difference between Asian and African Elephants
Here is a paraphrased version of the content with important terms highlighted in bold:
| Parameters | Asian Elephants | African ElephantsClassified into 2 separate species: |
|---|---|---|
| • African Savanna Elephant (Endangered)• African Forest Elephant (Critically Endangered) | ||
| Size | Smaller | Larger |
| Head shape | Twin-domed with a central indent | Rounded/Flat single dome |
| Ears | Small, rounded | Savannah Elephants: Large, fan-shapedForest Elephants: Perfectly oval/round |
| Tusks | Only some males have visible tusks, females may have smaller tusks. | Both male and female have larger tusks.Savannah elephants: Curved, thick, outward-pointingForest elephants: Straight, thin, downward-pointing |
| Back | Humped/convex, curved outward | Concave/dipped |