Why is it in the News?
- Significant decline: India’s wild elephant population has dipped by nearly 18% over the last two decades.
- Habitat concerns: Western Ghats, historically a stronghold, show pronounced decline.
- Policy relevance: Highlights the urgent need for conservation, conflict mitigation, and habitat restoration.
Relevance:
- GS 3 – Environment & Ecology
- Biodiversity conservation, keystone species, habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict.
- Wildlife monitoring mechanisms (AISEPE).
- GS 2 – Governance / Policy
- Policy interventions under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and CITES compliance.
- Inter-state coordination for habitat restoration and conflict mitigation.
Basic Concepts
- Elephants in India: Asian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus), a keystone species and flagship species for biodiversity conservation.
- Habitat: Predominantly the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, northeastern states, and central India.
- Monitoring tool: All India Synchronised Elephant Population Estimation (AISEPE) conducted every five years to track population trends.
Current Population Overview
- Total estimated population (2022-23): 29,964 elephants.
- Population share by region:
- Western Ghats: 22.44%
- Northeast: 11.34%
- Eastern Ghats: 2.82%
- Central India: 4.19%
- Northern India: 2.02%
- Assam: 3.13%
- Tamil Nadu: 2.70%
- Others (Odisha, Jharkhand, etc.): 0.94%
- Primary habitats: Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, northeastern states.
Reasons for Decline
Habitat loss & fragmentation
- Expansion of agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure disrupts migration corridors.
Human-elephant conflict (HEC)
- Particularly high in Kerala and Karnataka; leads to deaths and retaliatory killings.
Poaching
- Targeting elephants for ivory and other body parts.
Disruption of breeding grounds
- Fragmentation impacts mating and calf survival.
Conservation Challenges
- Coordination across states: Elephants migrate across multiple states; requires inter-state habitat connectivity.
- Conflict mitigation: Need early warning systems, electric fencing, community awareness, and compensation schemes.
- Restoration efforts: Reforestation and protection of wildlife corridors essential.
- Data gap: Pandemic delayed AISEPE; highlights need for timely, systematic population monitoring.
Significance
- Elephants are ecologically vital, shaping forest structure and dispersing seeds.
- Decline reflects broader environmental and ecological stress, including biodiversity loss.
- Findings inform MoEFCC and state forest departments to plan conservation, mitigate HEC, and prioritize Western Ghats habitat restoration.
- Supports India’s commitment to Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Quick Revision
- Total elephants (2022-23): 29,964 (↓18% over 2 decades).
- Primary habitat: Western Ghats (22.44%).
- Key causes: Habitat loss, HEC, poaching, fragmentation.
- Monitoring: AISEPE every 5 years.
- Policy response: Corridor restoration, conflict mitigation, inter-state coordination.
