In the spirit of World Elephant Day, celebrated on the 12th of August, the Union Environment Minister announced a new population estimation protocol. This adoption is part of the 2022 all-India elephant and tiger population estimation. World Elephant Day, initiated in 2012, focuses on the urgent situation of Asian and African elephants.
Current State of Elephants in India
As per the latest count from 2017, elephants in India numbered at 29,964, marking a slight surge from the mean count of 29,576 elephants in 2012.
The Asian Elephant
The Asian elephant has three subspecies: Indian, Sumatran, and Sri Lankan. The Indian subspecies makes up most of the elephants in Asia due to its vast range. Globally, their population is estimated to be between 20,000 and 40,000. Several protective measures classify them as endangered species under the IUCN Red List and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972’s Schedule I, and they are listed in CITES Appendix I.
The African Elephant
There are two subspecies of African elephants: the Savanna (or bush) elephant and the Forest elephant. Their global population is approximately 4,00,000. However, a disturbing incident was reported in Botswana (Africa) in July 2020, where hundreds of elephants were found dead. African Savanna Elephants are endangered, and African Forest Elephants are critically endangered according to the IUCN Red List status. Both types are listed in CITES Appendix II.
Issues Threatening Elephant Populations
Several concerns endanger these majestic creatures, such as escalated poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, mistreatment in captivity, and abuse related to elephant tourism. More challenges include rampant mining and corridor destruction.
Conservation Measures
Numerous initiatives have been implemented for elephant conservation, including plans to thwart poachers and killers, establishment of several elephant reserves, like the Mysuru and Dandeli reserves in Karnataka, and effective measures to study forest fire prevention. Other efforts involve removing invasive species like lantana and eupatorium that hinder elephant food grass growth and taking steps to mitigate human-elephant conflicts.
One of the significant national campaigns is Gaj Yatra, which raises awareness about elephants and the importance of securing elephant corridors. Additionally, the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme, initiated in 2003, is an international initiative that monitors trends related to unlawful elephant killing, providing insights into the success of field conservation measures.
Project Elephant
Introduced in February 1992, Project Elephant is a centrally sponsored scheme focusing on the protection of elephants, their habitats, and corridors. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change offers both financial and technical aid to major elephant range states across India under this project. Notably, mahouts, the individuals who care for, ride, and tend to elephants, along with their families play a significant role in contributing to the welfare of elephants.
Ruling on Nilgiris Elephant Corridor
In a noteworthy development, the Supreme Court recently upheld a 2011 Madras High Court order on the Nilgiris elephant corridor. This order reaffirms the right of passage for the animals and mandates the closure of resorts in the area.
