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Context:
After a delay of over a year, the Union Environment Ministry and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) released the results of the Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021–25 in Dehradun. The latest census estimates India’s total elephant population at 22,446 individuals, marking a comprehensive update on the status of the country’s largest terrestrial mammal.
About SAIEE 2021–25:
- What it is: India’s nationwide synchronized census of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) conducted every five years.
- Published by: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
- Objective: To develop a harmonized, data-driven baseline for elephant population monitoring, integrated with tiger census methodologies for greater precision.
Key Findings:
- Total Elephant Population: 22,446 individuals.
- Regional Distribution:
- Western Ghats: 11,934
- Northeastern Hills & Brahmaputra Plains: 6,559
- Shivalik Hills & Gangetic Plains: 2,062
- Central India & Eastern Ghats: 1,891
- Top States by Elephant Population:
- Karnataka – 6,013
- Assam – 4,159
- Tamil Nadu – 3,136
- Kerala – 2,785
- Uttarakhand – 1,792
Population Trends:
- Decline:
- Jharkhand (–68%) and Odisha (–54%) due to mining activities and habitat loss.
- Increase:
- Chhattisgarh (+82.6%) and Madhya Pradesh due to elephant migration from disturbed eastern habitats.
