India Reaffirms Commitment to Elephant Conservation on World Elephant Day 2026
On the occasion of World Elephant Day 2026, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, reaffirmed India’s commitment to securing a shared future for elephants and people.
India’s Elephant Legacy
- India hosts nearly 60% of the world’s wild Asian elephants, with a population of about 22,446 (SAIEE 2021–25).
- Elephants are protected across 33 Elephant Reserves and 150 scientifically validated corridors.
- They are keystone species, shaping forests, dispersing seeds, and maintaining ecological balance.
Conservation Efforts
- Project Elephant: Flagship programme combining habitat protection, conflict mitigation, and science-driven monitoring (DNA profiling, AI-enabled tracking, radio-collaring).
- Corridor Protection: 150 corridors identified; 19 inter-state and 6 transboundary (India–Nepal). Monitoring shows increased elephant use in 40% of corridors.
- Reserve Expansion: Since 2014, Elephant Reserves now cover 80,777 km², adding 8,610 km² of protected habitat.
- Railway Safety: Mitigation measures across 77 sensitive stretches; train-hit deaths reduced by over 50% (from 26 in 2013 to 12 in 2024).
- Captive Elephant Safeguards: DNA-based registry via Gajah Suchana app; Captive Elephant (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024 regulate movement.
Community & Coexistence
- Compensation schemes: ₹10 lakh for death/permanent incapacitation, ₹2 lakh for grievous injury, crop/property loss covered under State norms.
- Human–Elephant Conflict Advisory: hotspot mapping, rapid response teams, and elephant-specific mitigation guidelines (2023).
- Emphasis on community partnerships to ensure coexistence and shared stewardship of elephant landscapes.
Ministerial Statements
- Shri Bhupender Yadav: “When we secure the future of elephants, we secure our forests, biodiversity and ecological heritage.”
- Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh: Highlighted elephants as “ecosystem engineers” whose roaming disperses seeds and sustains biodiversity.
India’s approach blends traditional reverence with modern science and technology, reinforcing elephants as both cultural icons and ecological guardians.
