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Assam has an estimated 5,828 elephants, the latest count of the pachyderm said. According to the Elephant Population Estimate 2024 released by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday (January 2, 2025), the number estimated during February 20-27 last year was 109 more than the previous count in 2017. “This was the seventh synchronised estimation exercise covering the State’s 43 forest divisions.
We engaged 5,743 personnel across 1,536 survey blocks to arrive at the estimate,” Vinay Gupta, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden said. According to the 84-page report, 82% of the total population (4,777 elephants) resides within Assam’s five Elephant Reserves, underlining their critical role in conservation. An elephant reserve encompasses protected areas and non-protected areas, including urban centres.
If 68% of the elephant population was found to reside in protected areas, 30.4% were recorded in managed forests while 1.6% were spotted in revenue areas.
The report claimed the State’s elephant population has remained stable over decades, never dropping below 5,200, despite challenges such as habitat fragmentation and human-elephant conflict. “The 2,600 sq. km Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve recorded the highest density of 79 elephants per 100 sq.
km,” the report said. The other Elephant Reserves are Sonitpur (1,420 sq. km), Dehing-Patkai (937 sq.
km), Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong (3,270 sq. km), and Dhansiri-Lungding (2,370 sq. km).
The Dhansiri-Lungding Elephant Reserve was marked as an “area of concern” for recording the lowest density, — 6 elephants per 100 sq. km — indicating severe habitat degradation and fragmentation. One of the findings of the estimate was the adult female-to-calf ratio, which was recorded at 0.
49 or 49 calves per 100 adult females. The report said this indicated “robust reproduction and successful recruitment” in the population. On the brighter side, the tusker-to-makhna ratio was found to be 1:1.
97 from 1:2.63 in 2017. A ‘makhna’ is an adult male that lacks tusks.
Among the recommendations in the report are strengthening anti-poaching efforts and habitat restoration in low-density regions, notification of all identified elephant corridors to secure long-term movement pathways, and implementation of advanced monitoring techniques such as radio-telemetry for movement studies and adaptive management. Published - January 02, 2025 09:14 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit animal / India / Assam.
