The State of Assam is home to an estimated 5,828 elephants, as revealed by the latest Elephant Population Estimate 2024.
This figure, announced on January 2, 2025, by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, marks an increase of 109 elephants compared to the previous count conducted in 2017.
Vinay Gupta, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, highlighted the extensive effort behind the estimation.
"This was the seventh synchronised estimation exercise covering the State’s 43 forest divisions. We engaged 5,743 personnel across 1,536 survey blocks to arrive at the estimate," he stated.
The 84-page report underlines the critical role of Assam’s five Elephant Reserves, which support 82% of the total population, or 4,777 elephants. These reserves encompass protected areas as well as non-protected regions, including urban centres.
Of the total elephant population, 68% were found within protected areas, while 30.4% were recorded in managed forests and 1.6% in revenue areas.
Despite challenges such as habitat fragmentation and human-elephant conflict, the State’s elephant population has remained stable over the years, never dropping below 5,200.
The Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve, spanning 2,600 square kilometres, recorded the highest elephant density at 79 elephants per 100 square kilometres.
In contrast, the Dhansiri-Lungding Elephant Reserve was flagged as an area of concern, with the lowest density of six elephants per 100 square kilometres, attributed to severe habitat degradation and fragmentation.
One notable finding from the report was the adult female-to-calf ratio, recorded at 0.49, indicating 49 calves for every 100 adult females. This suggests robust reproduction and successful recruitment within the population.
The tusker-to-makhna ratio also showed improvement, shifting from 1:2.63 in 2017 to 1:1.97.
A ‘makhna’ refers to an adult male elephant without tusks.
The report also makes several recommendations, including strengthening anti-poaching measures, restoring habitats in low-density areas, formally notifying identified elephant corridors to secure long-term movement pathways, and implementing advanced monitoring techniques such as radio-telemetry for studying elephant movements and adaptive management.
Assam’s five Elephant Reserves, crucial for conservation efforts, include:
The report underscores the importance of sustained conservation efforts to ensure the continued stability and well-being of Assam’s elephant population.
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