Tamil Nadu has witnessed an increase in the number of elephants in its forest ranges since 2017, according to a census conducted in May.
According to the data released by chief minister MK Stalin, the number of elephants has risen from 2,761 in 2017 to 2,961 in the census held for three days from May 17 in forest areas of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.
In Tamil Nadu, the population estimation of elephants was conducted in 699 blocks in 25 forest divisions. Forest personnel such as anti-poaching watchers, forest watchers, forest guards, foresters, rangers and volunteers from NGOs were involved in this survey.
“Tamil Nadu records a jump in wild elephant numbers as per the synchronised Elephant Population Estimation Report released on Tuesday by chief minister MK Stalin. The sex ratio for elephants is 1:2.17. There are 1,105 elephants in the Eastern Ghats, and 1,855 in the Western Ghats,” said state forest secretary Supriya Sahu.
The estimation was conducted by 2,099 personnel including 368 volunteers covering 690 blocks across Tamil Nadu and Kerala, said the secretary.
The census counting was done with the help of Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute, Mayavaram-based ANC College and Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science.
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve has 444 elephants, Masinagudi forest range has 346 jumbos, while Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and Anamalai Tiger Reserve have 668 elephants and 211 elephants.
“A series of measures taken by the state government has led to the increase in the number of elephants in the wild,” said a forest department official. Among the 26 forest divisions, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve had the highest estimated density of elephants followed by MTR Masinagudi division and STR Hasanur division, the report said.
Among the five elephant reserves, the Nilgiris Eastern Ghats Elephant Reserve had the highest estimated density followed by Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve, Nilambur Silent Valley-Coimbatore Elephant Reserve and Periyar Elephant Reserve.
According to the nationwide synchronised elephant census in 2017, there were 2,761 elephants in Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu Forest department had identified 708 blocks from 26 forest divisions in the state for the census. As many as 42 blocks were situated in the Coimbatore Forest Division. Each block had a team consisting of a forest department staff, anti-poaching watches and two representatives of NGOs or college students.
State forest minister M Mathiventhan, chief secretary Shiv Das Meena and Supriya Sahu, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife Warden Srinivas R Reddy, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Conservator of Forests and Field Director D Venkatesh and senior officials were present at the event at which the report was released.
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