Uttarakhand’s elephant population has gone up to 1,797, an increase of 15 per cent over the last census done on the basis of dung in 2012. It is again a rise of 33 per cent over the census done in 2007 based on similar methodology. Wild Asiatic elephant population estimation exercise was conducted on June 4-5 this year in Uttarakhand. This was conducted in Corbett Tiger Reserve, Rajaji National Park and 11 territorial of four divisions — Shivalik, Western, North Kumoan and Bhagirathi Circles, covering an area of 6643.5 sq km. The methodology was finalised after consultations with scientists of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
The detailed instruction along with guidelines for analysis of field data was issued from the wildlife headquarters. Besides WII, some prominent NGOs like WWF and Corbett Foundation laos participated along with the field staff of the forest department. This was disclosed by the State Forest Minister Dinesh Aggarwal
(in pic) while addressing the third meeting of Corbett Tiger Foundation in Vidhan Sabha on Saturday.
Aggarwal said that Uttarakhand male and female elephant ratio is 1:2.47, which, being one of the best in the world, indicates total control of elephant poaching in the state.
“If we go by the division- wise comparison between Census 2007 and Census 2015 the elephant population in Corbett Tiger Reserve has shot up to 1035 from 622. The same is 248 from 238 in Shivalik Circle while it is 197 from 55 in Western Circle. However, in Rajaji National Park, the figure has declined if we make comparison with 2007 Census. Here the figure is 309 while it was 418 in 2007. Similarly, North Circle Division has seen a slight fall from 10 in 2007 to eight in 2015. However, Bhagirathi circle elephant population reported zero this year while it was three in 2007,” the minister said.
“This year, we followed direct synchronised counts with beat as the counting unit and detailed information about each elephant sighting such as age, sex, herd composition, individual identity of tuskers, direction of movement and GPS coordinates were recorded. In addition, as far as possible, pictures were also taken. These information were intensively used at the stage of analysis to eliminate double counts to arrive at final numbers, which were reviewed at various administrative levels. The final circle level information was collated at the wildlife headquarters,” he said.
Corbett Tiger Reserve emerged as the main bastion of elephants in the state with as many as 1035 elephants having been reported. Dhinkala range alone accounted for 242 elephants and adjoining Sarpduli range registered 193 elephants. Rajaji National Park recorded 309 elephants while adjoining lansdowne Forest Division registered a high presence of elephants with 160 animals being recorded. The elephants were found in nearly all the divisions of the forested belt from Yamuna to Sharada.
With the number of 1797 Uttarakhand has become the sixth state in terms of census. Kerala’s figure varies from 5942 to 6422; for Karnataka, the figure varies from 5648 to 6488. The figure stands at 5620 in Assam; at 4015 in Tamil Nadu and at 1811 in Meghalaya.
Notably, Uttarakhand and Meghalaya had not conducted elephant census after 2007.
Replying to the media query, Aggrawal said that since inception of Uttarakhand, 290 elephants including 160 met natural death, 114 died due to accident and 15 due to poaching and one declared violent.