India’s Elephant Census 2025 – Key Highlights
1. Population Overview
- Total wild elephants in India: 22,446 (average estimate from DNA-based count).
- Range: 18,255 – 26,645.
- Significance: First-ever DNA-based nationwide count, creating a new scientific baseline for monitoring.
Methodology:
- DNA-based mark–recapture method using dung samples.
- 21,056 dung samples collected across 6.7 lakh km of forest trails.
- 4,065 unique elephants identified genetically.
- More accurate than previous visual/direct counting methods, avoids duplication.
Region-wise Distribution
| Region | Elephant Population | Key States |
|---|
| Western Ghats | 11,934 | Karnataka (6,013), Tamil Nadu (3,136), Kerala (2,785) |
| North Eastern Hills & Brahmaputra Flood Plains | 6,559 | Assam (4,159), Arunachal Pradesh (617), Meghalaya (677), Nagaland (252), Tripura (153), Manipur (9), Mizoram (16), N. West Bengal (676) |
| Shivalik Hills & Gangetic Plains | 2,062 | Uttarakhand (1,792), UP (257), Bihar (13) |
| Central India & Eastern Ghats | 1,891 | Odisha (912), Jharkhand (217), Madhya Pradesh (97), Chhattisgarh (451), Maharashtra (63), AP (120), South WB (31) |
Observation:
- Western Ghats and Northeast remain strongholds.
- Central India, Eastern Ghats, and some northeastern states show fragmented and declining populations.
3. Key Threats
- Habitat fragmentation: Commercial plantations, mining, infrastructure (roads, railways, power lines).
- Human-elephant conflict: Crop raiding, property damage, electrocution, railway accidents.
- Population displacement: Elephants moving from Jharkhand & Odisha to Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Vidarbha due to habitat degradation.
- Shrinking corridors and blocked migratory routes endanger connectivity.
4. State-level Trends
- Karnataka: Largest population (6,013).
- Assam: Largest in Northeast (4,159), but fragmented habitats increase conflict.
- Odisha & Jharkhand: Significant population declines (Odisha down 54%, Jharkhand down 68% from 2017).
- Chhattisgarh: Population rising due to migration from neighboring states.
5. Conservation Recommendations
- Strengthen habitat corridors and connectivity between populations.
- Restore degraded habitats and enforce protection strategies.
- Integrate developmental planning with wildlife conservation.
- Mitigate human-elephant conflict with uniform compensation and community support.
- Continue DNA-based monitoring for accurate long-term tracking.
6. Scientific Significance
- First DNA-based census in India gives robust data for individual identification.
- Avoids errors from double-counting or visual misidentification.
- Aligns elephant monitoring methods with tiger census protocols.
Bottom line:
India’s elephants are facing serious habitat and connectivity challenges, despite scientific advances in population estimation. Their long-term survival depends heavily on proactive conservation, community participation, and integration of ecological safeguards with development projects.
Updated - 14 Oct 2025 ; 05:41 PM | News Source: The New Indian Express , The Hindu , Indian Express , NDTV