Explained | Are rhino and elephant conservation efforts a success?
2 years ago

Explained | Are rhino and elephant conservation efforts a success?

The Hindu  

The story so far: Greens worldwide called the Kaziranga National Park the greatest conservation success story in 2005 when it completed a century. According to the State of Rhino Report 2022, the poor-sighted herbivore’s number in Kaziranga is an estimated 2,613, more than 65% of its total population of 4,014 across 11 habitats in India and Nepal. According to Assam-based rhino expert Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, the strengthening of the anti-poaching mechanism in India and Nepal with more manpower, capacity-building of frontline staff and equipping forest guards with better fighting gears have helped protect the rhino. “While poaching remains a major threat to rhinos, alien invasive plant species grabbing key grassland habitats in rhino-bearing areas in the past decade has emerged as a bigger threat to the animal in India and Nepal,” Mr. Talukdar, also a senior member of the Asian Rhino Specialist Group, said. The south Indian States of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu is home to nearly 44% of India’s elephant population.

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History of this topic

Odisha to have South Asia’s first elephant centre for species survival
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Odisha to have South Asia’s first elephant centre for species survival

New Indian Express  

BHUBANESWAR: In a first-of-its-kind initiative that would support conservation of elephants in South and Southeast Asia, Odisha government has accepted a proposal for establishment a Centre for Species Survival of Asian Elephants near Bhubaneswar. The centre will not only enhance the protection of Asian elephants across 13 range countries in South and South East Asia including India but also be …

Odisha's winter elephant census reveals population, seasonal movements
3 weeks, 6 days ago

Odisha's winter elephant census reveals population, seasonal movements

New Indian Express  

BHUBANESWAR: The All Odisha Elephant Census 2024 has revealed that 2,103 elephants, including 474 males and 1,030 females, currently inhabit the Odisha landscape. The census, conducted over three days from November 14 to 16 across 48 forest and wildlife divisions, also highlighted significant inter-state movements of elephants, particularly from Jharkhand and West Bengal, during the cold season. The latest census …

First winter count report of elephants to be unveiled by Nov 27
1 month, 1 week ago

First winter count report of elephants to be unveiled by Nov 27

New Indian Express  

He said the Odisha Elephant Census 2024 report of the Forest and Environment Department, released in June, had pegged the total elephant population in the state at 2,098 which was 122 more than the previous count of 1,976 in 2017. A herd of 121 elephants from neighbouring states, primarily West Bengal, has already entered the Baripada division in November first …

600 elephants dead since 2019, where Odisha, Bengal may be erring
1 month, 1 week ago

600 elephants dead since 2019, where Odisha, Bengal may be erring

India Today  

On November 3, Odisha forest minister Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia ordered a probe into the rampant elephant deaths in the state, directing additional chief secretary Satyabrata Sahu to conduct a division-wise investigation. Both the deaths of elephants and human fatalities from conflict with them have been major challenges in the forested areas of Odisha as well as West Bengal. Under Odisha’s …

Post- tusker deaths, MP constitutes panel for elephant management
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Post- tusker deaths, MP constitutes panel for elephant management

Deccan Chronicle  

Bhopal: The state forest department has constituted a committee for management of elephants in Madhya Pradesh in the wake of the recent death of ten elephants in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in MP. “We will study the best practices in elephant management in other states and put in place a system for effective management of the wild elephants in Madhya …

Three day estimation of elephants using state’s landscape
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Three day estimation of elephants using state’s landscape

New Indian Express  

BHUBANESWAR: Chief wildlife warden Susanta Nanda on Tuesday said the Forest department will conduct a three-day estimation to assess the elephant populationthat uses the Odisha landscape. “A study carried out by Prof Raman Sukumar of Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc-Bangalore in 2018 revealed Odisha at best is suitable to hold around 1,600 to 1,700 elephants within the safe limit. Nanda …

Karnataka has lost more than 280 elephants in the last three years
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Karnataka has lost more than 280 elephants in the last three years

The Hindu  

Karnataka, which has the largest elephant population in the country, has, in the last three years, lost more than 280 jumbos, of which over 30 have died due to electrocution. On June 11, the Dasara elephant Ashwathama died at its camp in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve also due to electrocution after it came in contact with a solar fence. Over the …

How many elephants does India have? You will probably know by June 2025
4 months, 1 week ago

How many elephants does India have? You will probably know by June 2025

Firstpost  

India, which is home to more than 60 per cent of the world’s wild Asian elephants, has been conducting five-year elephant censuses since 2022, but this year it has got delayed A new methodology for conducting elephant census was announced on 2021. India will have to wait until June next year for the results of the latest elephant census, as …

Census in South Reveals Andhra Pradesh Has 142–148 Elephants
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Census in South Reveals Andhra Pradesh Has 142–148 Elephants

Deccan Chronicle  

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh has an elephant population ranging between 142–148, a census carried out in the four southern states of Tamil Naidu, Karnataka, Kerala and AP has revealed. Forest authorities of the four states carried out a synchronised census to find out the number of elephants present in their respective states. Additional principal conservator of forests Shantipriya Pande said for …

Elephant population in Andhra Pradesh estimated to be in range of 120 to 142
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Elephant population in Andhra Pradesh estimated to be in range of 120 to 142

The Hindu  

The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department has put the elephant population in the State in the range between 120 and 142. “Although only 51 elephants have been sighted during the exercise, the elephant population in Andhra Pradesh is estimated to be more than double the figure,” said Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Chiranjiv Choudhary. A majority of the elephants were sighted …

Elephant census begins in Kerala on May 23
7 months ago

Elephant census begins in Kerala on May 23

The Hindu  

As many as 1,300 Forest officials and watchers will begin a three- day elephant census in the four elephant reserves in Kerala on Thursday as part of a synchronised elephant population estimation study in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Chief Wildlife warden D.Jayaprasad said Forest officials and watchers who had received training would fan out across 610 sample …

Wild elephant that killed 2 in Telangana tramples 3 more in Gadchiroli
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Wild elephant that killed 2 in Telangana tramples 3 more in Gadchiroli

Hindustan Times  

NAGPUR: A wild elephant strayed into south Gadchiroli’s Bhamragarh region and trampled three people to death including two women over the last five days, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. A herd of 23 elephants entered the eastern Maharashtra district of Gadchiroli from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar forests in 2021 Gadchiroli circle conservator of forests Ramesh Kumar said the male …

Odisha sees record human deaths in wild elephant encounters
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Odisha sees record human deaths in wild elephant encounters

The Hindu  

The number of human deaths in encounters with wild elephants in Odisha has increased to 149 during the year 2023-24, recording an all-time high human casualties in the current fiscal. Mr. Mohanty pointed out that Odisha was the leading State in losing humans to wild elephants in the country despite having lower elephant population compared to States such as Karnataka, …

Elephant kills man in Kerala, third incident in a month
9 months, 4 weeks ago

Elephant kills man in Kerala, third incident in a month

India Today  

A 44-year-old man was killed by a wild elephant near the tourist town of Munnar in Kerala's Idukki district. This is the third such incident in the state within a month after two people died in Wayanad amid increasing incidents of human-animal conflicts. Police said the victim of the latest attack that occurred on Monday night at the Kannimala estate …

TN, Kerala to relocate elephants, but we don’t seek compensation: Officials
10 months ago

TN, Kerala to relocate elephants, but we don’t seek compensation: Officials

New Indian Express  

BENGALURU: The communication of Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre to Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi that on the latter’s advice, Rs 15 lakh compensation has been given to the family of a man killed by an elephant in Kerala has been questioned by officials from the department and experts. In the letter, Khandre has acknowledged that forest boundaries are shrinking,” said …

Putting Bannerghatta on the elephant conservation map
1 year, 4 months ago

Putting Bannerghatta on the elephant conservation map

The Hindu  

Bannerghatta National Park, a part of one of the largest scrub forests in India, covers an area of about 260 km sq and is only about 27 km from Bengaluru. The 2023 elephant census suggested the presence of about 127 elephants in the area which The Bannerghatta-Hosur area of the Eastern Ghats, which comprises three protected areas including the Bannerghatta …

Taming trunks and tempers: Research initiatives from the State to mitigate conflicts
1 year, 4 months ago

Taming trunks and tempers: Research initiatives from the State to mitigate conflicts

The Hindu  

Data from the latest elephant census report released by the Karnataka Government on August 9 must have been music to the ears of jumbo lovers. Mindless urban expansion at the cost of forest cover and elephant habitats, and infrastructural developments blocking movement of elephants have forced behavioural changes in elephants and increased instances of humans being exposed to the beasts. …

Elephant numbers up by 350 in Karnataka
1 year, 4 months ago

Elephant numbers up by 350 in Karnataka

Deccan Chronicle  

BENGALURU: Over the last six years, elephant numbers have gone up by about 350 in Karnataka as per a three-day exercise conducted in May 17 to 19 this year, said Minister for Forests and Environment Eshwar Khandre in Bengaluru on Wednesday while releasing the Elephant estimation-2023 report. The previous elephant estimation done in 2017 stated that Karnataka had about 6049 …

Wild Elephant Population in Tamil Nadu Goes Up
1 year, 4 months ago

Wild Elephant Population in Tamil Nadu Goes Up

Deccan Chronicle  

Chennai: The population of wild elephants in the State has gone up from 2761 in the year 2017 to 2961 now with the Nilgiris Eastern Ghats elephant sanctuary having the highest number of 2477 pachyderms, according to an integrated elephant survey 2023, whose report was released by Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday. An official press release said that …

Elephant population estimation more accurate than previous studies: Kerala Forest department
1 year, 4 months ago

Elephant population estimation more accurate than previous studies: Kerala Forest department

The Hindu  

Maintaining that its recent elephant population estimation exercise was “more precise” than the previous surveys, the Forest department has stood by its migration theory to explain the fall in elephant population, with their habitats in Kerala being contiguous with the forests of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu sharing an inter-State boundary length of 957 km. In its Elephant Population Estimation in …

AP plans steps to ensure safe passage of elephants
1 year, 7 months ago

AP plans steps to ensure safe passage of elephants

Deccan Chronicle  

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Government is initiating several steps to ensure the safe passage of elephants that move in from Odisha, Karnataka and Tamil Naidu to AP districts on a regular basis. In compliance with the advice of the Project Elephant Steering Committee of the Wildlife Institute of India and also taking note of the observations of the Supreme Court, …

Engaging Elephas maximus
1 year, 10 months ago

Engaging Elephas maximus

The Hindu  

Published : Feb 07, 2023 07:39 IST Dear Reader, This story has two parts. The Elephant Census of 2017 shows that 6,049 of the precious creatures are found in Karnataka — the highest in a single State. But in Karnataka, more than half of the elephant’s habitat lies outside notified Protected Areas, leading to violent encounters with humans. Here’s Vikhar …

Odisha comes up with comprehensive strategy to mitigate human-elephant conflict
1 year, 11 months ago

Odisha comes up with comprehensive strategy to mitigate human-elephant conflict

The Hindu  

The Odisha government has come up with a ‘comprehensive action plan for conservation of elephants and mitigation of human-elephant conflict’, a zonation approach to maintain a long-term viable population of 1700-1800 elephants in the State. According to the plan, which is part of an affidavit filed with Orissa High Court, steps will be taken to minimise the incidence of human-elephant …

Delayed rescue of elephant in Assam sparks debate of state’s preparedness
2 years, 2 months ago

Delayed rescue of elephant in Assam sparks debate of state’s preparedness

Hindustan Times  

A speeding train hit a herd of wild elephants crossing the railway tracks at Titabor in Assam’s Jorhat district on the night of October 9. Delayed rescue of elephant in Assam sparks debate of state’s preparedness The impact toppled the elephant, which sustained injuries on both her hind legs, into a small stream. Status of rescue capabilities The incident at …

Conserving elephants in the southernmost western ghats
2 years, 4 months ago

Conserving elephants in the southernmost western ghats

The Hindu  

As a child, Gopal saw a herd of 37 elephants — yes, he counted them one by one — on the southern edge of the Western Ghats. “The Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve administration has drawn up plans for resurrecting the elephant migratory paths and removing encroachments along the corridors within the landscape,” says N. Senthil Kumar, Field Director, KMTR. Compact …

Human-elephant conflicts rising due to competition for resources: Bhupender Yadav
2 years, 4 months ago

Human-elephant conflicts rising due to competition for resources: Bhupender Yadav

Firstpost  

Addressing an event to mark the World Elephant Day at the Periyar National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, the minister said India has emerged as a pioneer in elephant conservation and managing human-elephant conflicts is the major focus of the government New Delhi: Human-elephant conflicts are increasing due to “competition for resources”, with around 500 people in the country …

Captive elephant numbers on the decline in Kerala
2 years, 9 months ago

Captive elephant numbers on the decline in Kerala

The Hindu  

Caparisoned jumbos in their majestic look is a treat for eyes. Another directive of the Chief Wildlife Warden says forest officials should visit the place elephants are tethered in 15 days. “Elephants were paraded without maintaining the mandatory four-m distance between them,” says the task force. Foot infection, tuberculosis, and impaction are common reasons for the death of elephants in …

Forest officials chalk up plans to curb wild elephant trouble
2 years, 11 months ago

Forest officials chalk up plans to curb wild elephant trouble

Deccan Chronicle  

Vishakhapatanam: Forest officials have devised strategies to prevent wild elephants from entering human settlements and trampling people and destroying crops in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts. During the musth period, which usually lasts four or five months, elephants tend to grow more aggressive, said sources from the forest department. He said forest personnel are selectively interfering with the movement of elephants, …

India to conduct first scientific estimation of its elephant population in 2022
3 years, 4 months ago

India to conduct first scientific estimation of its elephant population in 2022

Firstpost  

The Union Environment Minister said that local and indigenous people should be involved in the conservation efforts. On Elephant Day, Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced that India will be conducting its first scientific estimation of its elephant population, and will conduct a tiger census as well. “There has been a pressing need to improve and …

Covid escalates elephant killings in eastern India to ‘crisis proportions’
3 years, 5 months ago

Covid escalates elephant killings in eastern India to ‘crisis proportions’

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The killing of elephants in …

In Nepal, a conservation milestone for the one-horned rhino
3 years, 8 months ago

In Nepal, a conservation milestone for the one-horned rhino

Live Mint  

Nepal's population of endangered one-horned rhinoceros has grown by more than a hundred over the past six years, officials said, with campaigners hailing the increase as a conservation "milestone". The population rose to 752 across four national parks in the southern plains, up from 645 in 2015, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation said Saturday. Global conservation group …

Sri Lanka digs moat around Ampara landfill to keep out hungry elephants
4 years ago

Sri Lanka digs moat around Ampara landfill to keep out hungry elephants

Hindustan Times  

Sri Lanka’s government is digging a moat around one of its landfills to keep out hungry elephant herds and reduce conflicts between the animals and villagers. Once that is done, the wild elephants and other wild animals who eat the rubbish die.” The government is now trying trenches around the facility to deter the animals. “The wild elephants that come …

India floods: Dozens dead and nine rare rhinos drowned across tea-growing Assam
4 years, 5 months ago

India floods: Dozens dead and nine rare rhinos drowned across tea-growing Assam

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Nine rare one-horned rhinos are among 108 wild animals killed in the last 10 days …

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