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.

Summary/Static	Details
Why in the news?	Assam’s Elephant Population Sees 7-Year Rise
Total Elephant Population (2024)	5,828 (Increase of 109 since 2017)
Estimation Period	February 20-27, 2024
Survey Blocks	1,536
Elephant Reserves	5 (Chirang-Ripu, Sonitpur, Dehing-Patkai, Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong, Dhansiri-Lungding)
Highest Density	Chirang-Ripu (79 elephants per 100 sq. km)
Lowest Density	Dhansiri-Lungding (6 elephants per 100 sq. km)
Female-to-Calf Ratio	0.49 (49 calves per 100 adult females)
Tusker-to-Makhna Ratio	1:1.97 (Improved from 1:2.63 in 2017)
Protected Area Population	68%
Managed Forests Population	30.4%
Recommendations	Anti-poaching, habitat restoration, corridor notification, radio-telemetry, adaptive management