Assam’s Elephant Population Sees 7-Year Rise

Assam’s latest Elephant Population Estimate 2024 reveals an estimated 5,828 elephants, marking a rise of 109 from the previous 2017 count. This synchronised estimation exercise highlights the stability of Assam’s elephant population despite challenges such as habitat fragmentation and human-elephant conflicts. Key findings underline the critical role of Elephant Reserves and offer recommendations for improved conservation efforts.

Key Findings

Total Elephant Population

• Estimated at 5,828, an increase of 109 from 5,719 in 2017.

Estimation Process

• Conducted from February 20-27, 2024.
• Involved 5,743 personnel across 1,536 survey blocks in 43 forest divisions.

Population Distribution

• 82% (4,777 elephants) reside in five Elephant Reserves.
• 68% in protected areas.
• 30.4% in managed forests.
• 1.6% in revenue areas.

Elephant Density

• Chirang-Ripu Reserve recorded the highest density: 79 elephants per 100 sq. km.
• Dhansiri-Lungding Reserve recorded the lowest density: 6 elephants per 100 sq. km.

Female to Calf Ratio

• 49 calves per 100 adult females, indicating healthy reproduction rates.

Tusker-to-Makhna Ratio

• Improved from 1:2.63 (2017) to 1:1.97 (2024).

Conservation Challenges

• Habitat Degradation and Fragmentation in reserves like Dhansiri-Lungding.
• Human-Elephant Conflicts due to increasing interaction with urban and agricultural areas.

Recommendations

• Strengthen anti-poaching efforts.
• Undertake habitat restoration in low-density regions.
• Notify and secure elephant corridors for safe movement.
• Implement advanced monitoring techniques like radio-telemetry for movement studies.
• Adopt adaptive management strategies for long-term conservation.