Understanding the Elephant count
The elephant population in India and Tamil Nadu has remained steady over the years, thanks to conservation efforts of the government. But there is still scope to do more for their welfare.
Chennai
India accounts for over 50 per cent of the elephant population of Asia. The population of elephants in India is estimated to be 27,312, as against the total of less than 50,000 elephants in Asia.
The elephant population, though, has remained steady between the Elephant Census of 2012 and that of 2017. The World Wildlife Fund has classified the Asian elephant as endangered.
Tamil Nadu has approximately 10 per cent of India’s elephant population with 2,761 elephants, ranked fourth after Karnataka (6,049), Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054).
If the southern region alone is taken into consideration, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh (which has 65), Andaman & Nicobar (19), and Maharashtra (6) account for a total of 11,960 elephants, more than one third of the elephant population in India, according to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
“Elephant population of the State is quite alright at 2,700-an optimum number for a State like Tamil Nadu. It also depends on the season that the census is carried out. The Indian wild elephants being a long-migratory species don’t follow the administrative boundaries of a State. Their numbers may be a little less in one State, but at the same time, it could be more in adjoining States,” explained Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, Chief Wildlife Warden, Tamil Nadu.
Dr C Arivazhagan, managing trustee of the Indo American Wildlife Society, who has analysed “Population Dynamics of Elephant’s Sex Ratio” as his doctoral subject, said that in Tamil Nadu, the elephant population sex ratio stands at 1:20 (male to female), as compared to 1:100 in Kerala, mainly on account of the poaching that was rampant till a few years ago, even though poaching is close to
nil today.
The challenges
Conducting an elephant census is extremely challenging because they are long-term migratory animals, and only an estimation with some scope of error can be achieved, as per those involved in the census of elephants 2017.
Broadly, three methodologies are used: One, by direct sighting, where teams of local watchers and forest guards are sent out into defined forest zones and do an estimation by herd and individual physical identifications like scars, ear shape, tusk size and curve, skin-colour pattern, size and height. Two, the transect method, where teams walk along several pre-defined linear lines in the elephant zones over two to three days and record the number of elephants they come across and extrapolate the data to arrive at an estimate. Three, analysing the elephant dung-decay timelines and extrapolating them in combination with spatial GIS data, to arrive at a number.
The actual number of elephants could be slightly higher in Tamil Nadu than shown in the census, as in the year 2016, the drought in the State had pushed the herds to adjoining areas in neighbouring States in search of water and fodder. They later returned to Tamil Nadu, when the rains hit the State in 2017, post the May 2017 census.
Captive elephants
In 2018, for the first time, a census was carried out to count elephants in captivity following a Supreme Court order, in response to several complaints filed against cruelty being meted out to them. The total number of elephants with temples, zoos, circuses, Forest Departments and in private ownership added up to 2,454, many of them in poor physical and
mental health.
In 2016, the Madras High Court had observed that there had been many complaints alleging cruelty by owners, poor upkeep, lack of proper feeding and veterinary care. The court had also issued a restraint order preventing temples with a history of elephant abuse and poor maintenance from acquiring new elephants.
Tamil Nadu currently has 135 captive elephants. The State government has taken up the welfare of captive elephants seriously, regularly monitoring their premises and getting reports with specific observations by field officers of the
Forest Department.
Former CM J Jayalalithaa initiated regular health camps in 2003, which after a gap from 2006-10, was resumed in 2011 and continues till date. In 2018-19, the Tamil Nadu government has spent more than Rs 65 lakh on 52 such camps in the State. “We are planning to conduct a comprehensive health survey of the elephants in the State, captive as well as those in the wild,” said Dr Shekhar Kumar Niraj, director, Advanced Institute for Wildlife Conservation, Tamil Nadu.
However, the Indian elephant still gets a raw deal, with the moot question being, is the Government of India doing enough for their welfare? “The Government of India has a distorted view, with a 1:10 fund and focus on Project Tiger, as compared to elephants. Elephant habitat and conservation is a much bigger challenge than tigers right now in India,” pointed out
Prof Raman Sukumar.
Safeguards
Field officers are required to file a monthly report on the status of the elephants with specific information on frequency of health check-ups, the availability of facilities for bathing, walking and housing them, weekly feeding schedule and type of feed and if ill-treatment has been noticed. They also have to stay in touch with the Animal Welfare Board of India and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.
Problems faced by captive ANIMALS
- Not fed properly, leading to malnutrition
- Insufficient water facilities
- No play or walking paths around
- Ill-treatment and improper care
- Cruelty by the owners
- Underpaid mahouts and cavadys
Special health camps to ensure preservation and protection
- Monitoring and improving the overall health and psychological health of captive elephants being conducted by the Tamil Nadu government, the health camps were started by former CM J Jayalalithaa in 2003, and continued till 2005, before resuming in 2011 and continues till date.
- Provides natural ambience for the captive elephants and a break from the routine and workload
- Nutritionally balanced, special diet with ayurvedic, siddha and allopathic ingredients, along with quality assorted green fodder, is given as part of the diet schedule prescribed by the forest veterinarians. It takes into account the age, sex and psychological condition and body weight of the elephants
- Exercise and training schedule for the elephants for toning physical, physiological, psychological and behavioural health
- A tolal of 52 camps were conducted in Mudumalai (22), Anamalai (25), Sadivayal (2), Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur (2) and Kurumbapatti Zoological Park, Salem (1)
- RS 65 lakh was sanctioned in 2018-19 by the Tamil Nadu government for conducting these health camps
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