Asia’s oldest elephant ‘Vatsala’ dies at Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh

IN NEWS

Asia’s oldest elephant ‘Vatsala’ dies at Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh

ANALYSIS

• The death of ‘Vatsala’, aged over 100 years, marks the end of an important chapter in wildlife conservation at Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh.
• She was regarded as Asia’s oldest living elephant, symbolizing the success of long-term wildlife care and rehabilitation in dry forest ecosystems.
• Vatsala’s longevity and survival despite age-related challenges such as loss of eyesight and leg injuries demonstrate effective veterinary and habitat management by forest officials.
• Her role as a matriarchal figure leading elephant groups highlights the social structure of captive elephant herds within reserves.
• The Chief Minister’s tribute underlined the elephant’s emotional and ecological significance, calling her a “silent guardian of our forests.”
• The incident also draws attention to geriatric care of wildlife in captivity, an emerging issue in India’s conservation framework.

STATIC PART

• Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR):
  • Located in Madhya Pradesh, it was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1994 under Project Tiger.
  • Known for successful tiger reintroduction efforts after losing all tigers in 2009.
  • Lies within the Vindhya mountain range and forms part of the Ken River basin.
  • Habitat type: Dry deciduous forest.
• Elephants in India:
  • Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is listed as Endangered under the IUCN Red List.
  • Included in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • India holds over 60% of the global population of Asian elephants.
  • Key elephant reserves in India include Nilgiri (TN-KL-KA), Periyar (Kerala), Kaziranga (Assam), and Wayanad (Kerala).
• Elephant Conservation Initiatives:
  • Project Elephant (1992) – launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for protection of elephants and their habitats.
  • Gaj Yatra and National Elephant Corridor Project – to reduce human-elephant conflict and ensure habitat connectivity.

Updated – 09 July 2025 | 07:29 AM IST | News Source: The Hindu