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Picture Courtesy: Indian Express

Context:

The results of the Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021–25 were released in October 2025 after a delay of over a year. Conducted by the Union Environment Ministry and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the survey estimates India’s wild elephant population at 22,446, highlighting both positive conservation outcomes and continuing threats to the species.

Elephant Distribution in India (SAIEE 2021–25):

Emerging Trends:

• Chhattisgarh witnessed an 6% increase in elephant numbers due to migration from neighbouring states.
• Assam continues to have the largest population in the Northeast but faces growing human–elephant conflict because of forest clearance in Sonitpur and Golaghat.
• Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have reported new elephant herds in Sanjay Dubri, Bandhavgarh, and Kanha Tiger Reserves, suggesting habitat expansion. 

Major Challenges Facing Elephants (Source: Indian Express):

India’s elephants face several long-term conservation challenges:

• Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: Expanding mining projects, deforestation, and construction of roads, railways, and power lines are reducing contiguous habitats. 

• Human–Elephant Conflicts: In central and eastern India, though these regions hold less than 10% of the elephant population, they account for 45% of all human fatalities due to elephant encounters. 

• Migration Patterns: Disturbances in Jharkhand and Odisha have forced elephants to migrate toward Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli, creating new conflict zones and management challenges. 

• Infrastructure Threats: Railway lines and electric wires are major causes of unnatural deaths among elephants, especially in fragmented landscapes like Assam and Chhattisgarh. 

Government Measures for Elephant Conservation: 

Project Elephant (1992):

• Protects elephants and their habitats.
• Covers 32 Elephant Reserves across 14 states (~80,777 sq. km). 

Elephant Corridors:

• Around 150 corridors identified for safe movement.
• 2023 plan promotes land acquisition and community participation. 

Gaj Yatra Campaign (2017):

• Nationwide awareness drive for human–elephant coexistence. 

Conflict Mitigation:

• Use of early warning systems, solar fences, and compensation (₹25 lakh for human death). 

Technology & Monitoring:

• GIS mapping and Project Suraksha app (2024) track elephant movement. 

Legal Protection:

• Elephants listed under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and CITES Appendix I. 

Regional Cooperation:

• Cross-border efforts with Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar to protect migration routes. 

Way Forward:

Expand Elephant Corridors:

• Secure and restore 150+ identified corridors to ensure safe movement (Source: MoEFCC, 2025).
• Implement corridor restoration projects under CAMPA funds worth ₹350 crore (Source: MoEFCC Report, 2024). 

Reduce Human–Elephant Conflicts:

• India records 500+ human deaths annually due to conflicts (Source: WII, 2024).
• Deploy AI-based tracking and SMS alert systems used in Assam and Odisha, cutting conflict incidents by 30% (Source: WII, 2024). 

Habitat Restoration:

• Reforest 1,200 sq km of degraded elephant habitats under the Green India Mission (Source: MoEFCC, 2025).
• Impose stricter checks on mining and road projects in 32 Elephant Reserves. 

Community-Based Conservation:

• Launch eco-tourism and compensation schemes in high-conflict zones—₹25 lakh per human death and ₹1 lakh per cattle loss (Source: MoEFCC Guidelines, 2025). 

Regional & Technological Cooperation:

• Collaborate with Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh for cross-border elephant movement monitoring.
• Use GPS collars on over 250 elephants across southern and northeastern regions (Source: Project Elephant, 2024).

Source: Indian Express