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Introduction

The 2025 All-India Synchronous Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) reveals an ~18% decline in wild elephants, underscoring escalating habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, and infrastructure pressures. This alarming trend calls for targeted analysis of underlying causes and actionable measures to balance conservation priorities with development imperatives.

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Underlying Causes of Elephant Population Decline

• Habitat Fragmentation:  Urbanization, infrastructure projects, and agricultural expansion have fragmented elephant habitats, leading to isolated populations and limited migration.
  Eg: In Assam, the construction of roads through forested areas has disrupted elephant corridors, leading to frequent encounters with human settlements.
• Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade: The illegal hunting of elephants for ivory, skin, and other body parts continues to threaten their survival.
  Eg: In 2023, a significant poaching incident was reported in Odisha, where several elephants were killed for their tusks.
• Human-Elephant Conflict: As human settlements encroach upon elephant habitats, conflicts arise, often leading to harm for both humans and elephants.
  Eg: In Kerala, elephants have been known to raid crops, leading to retaliatory killings by farmers.
• Climate Change: Altered rainfall patterns and rising temperatures affect the availability of food and water sources for elephants, impacting their health and reproduction rates.
  Eg: In Tamil Nadu, prolonged droughts have led to reduced water availability in forest areas, forcing elephants to venture into human-populated regions.
• Lack of Effective Conservation Policies: Inadequate enforcement of wildlife protection laws and lack of coordination among stakeholders hinder effective conservation efforts.
  Eg: Despite the existence of Project Elephant, some states have been slow in implementing its guidelines, leading to inconsistent conservation outcomes.

Measures to Reconcile Conservation with Development

• Habitat Restoration & Connectivity: Restore and link fragmented forests to allow safe elephant movement.
  Eg: The Western Ghats corridor in Kerala has been successful in reducing elephant fatalities by providing safe passage.
• Wildlife-Friendly Infrastructure: Design overpasses, underpasses, and elephant-proof fencing to reduce accidents.
  Eg:  India’s first dedicated 12-km wildlife corridor on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, passing through Ranthambore Tiger Reserve’s buffer zone, built by NHAI.
• Community Engagement: Involve local populations in conservation awareness and alternative livelihoods.
  Eg: Kerala farmers use beehive fences  to deter elephants, protecting crops while generating honey as extra income.
• Policy and Legal Enforcement: Strengthen laws protecting elephants and enforce penalties for habitat destruction.
• Sustainable Development Planning: Integrate ecological considerations in infrastructure and land-use planning to minimise habitat loss.
  Eg: Satellite mapping during SAIEE 2025 assessed human footprint and habitat quality, guiding development away from critical elephant areas.

Conclusion

India is home to more than 60% of the world’s remaining Asian elephants, but their habitats continue to shrink due to encroachment, infrastructure projects and human-elephant conflict. The decline in India’s wild elephants signals a critical turning point, emphasizing the importance of proactive monitoring, scientific management, and long-term planning to safeguard their survival while aligning conservation efforts with the nation’s development goals.

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