Number of elephants in Karnataka goes up by 364 from last count, touches 6,395

Source: The post is based on the article “Number of elephants in Karnataka goes up by 364 from last count, touches 6,395”  published in The Hindu on 10th August 2023.

What is the News?

Karnataka Minister of Forests has released an interim report on Asian Elephant Population and Demography Estimates, 2023. 

The report has been prepared after a synchronized elephant census was conducted by the Forest Department in collaboration with neighboring Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Goa.

What are the key findings of the Asian Elephant Population and Demography Estimates, 2023?

Number of elephants: The number of wild elephants in Karnataka has increased to 6,395 this year from 6,049 in 2017.

– In 2010, the projected number was 5,740.It stood at 6,072 in 2012 before the dip in 2017.

– However, out of the total 6,395 elephants estimated, around 161 were within private lands like coffee estates which pose conservation challenges.

Elephant density: Karnataka has an average elephant density of 0.34 per sq. km. 

– Bandipur Tiger Reserve with 1,116 elephants accounted for the highest density of 0.96 per sq. km followed by Nagarahole Tiger Reserve that has 831 elephants with a density of 0.93.