VISAKHAPATNAM: The elephant population in Andhra Pradesh has been estimated at 120, according to the ‘DNA-based Synchronous All India Elephant Population Estimation (SAIEE) 2021-2025’ conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
The study noted that the estimate carries a standard error (SE) of 9, with a 95% confidence interval ranging between 103 and 138 elephants. Compared to the previous estimate of 65 in 2017, this indicates a significant increase over the years. The WII report mentioned that the survey was conducted across 3,456 trails covering a distance of 16,597 kilometers, which included 3,430 transects spanning 6,637 kilometers and 11,090 plots.
This comprehensive assessment provided a detailed evaluation of the state’s elephant population and habitat distribution.
24 elephant deaths in recent years reported
Andhra Pradesh, with a forest area of 37,258 square kilometers accounting for 22.86% of its total geographical area, hosts diverse forest types, including southern dry mixed deciduous, moist deciduous, scrub, and savannah forests.
The study stated that although historical records mention elephants north of Tirupati, the state did not have a resident elephant population for nearly two centuries. It was only in the early 1980s that a small herd migrated from the Hosur-Dharmapuri forests of Tamil Nadu to the Kuppam and Palamaner forest divisions of Chittoor district due to drought. What began as a temporary movement became permanent, and by 1986, nearly 39 elephants from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had settled in Andhra Pradesh.
Since then, the report observed, elephants have been moving seasonally across southern Andhra Pradesh. Another group has been recorded in Parvathipuram, in northern Andhra Pradesh, believed to have migrated from Odisha. The Rayala Elephant Reserve corridor, which connects Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary and Sri Venkateswara National Park, currently supports a population estimated between 50 and 60 elephants. The study also mentioned that during the late 1990s, forest department trackers noted a gradual decline in elephant numbers in Koundinya due to mortality and dispersal. However, the study also noted that the rise in elephant numbers has been accompanied by an increase in human-elephant conflicts, particularly in areas unfamiliar with their presence.
Forest department records revealed that there have been 45 human deaths, 24 elephant deaths, and nearly 4,000 cases of crop and property damage in recent years. The study highlighted electrocution as one of the leading causes of elephant mortality. In addition to the herds in southern Andhra Pradesh, elephant movement has also been reported from northern Andhra districts such as Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, where elephants frequently migrate from Odisha. Similarly, in the south, herds continue to arrive from Bannerghatta in Karnataka and Hosur in Tamil Nadu, suggesting that Andhra Pradesh plays a crucial role as a corridor for elephant movement across southern India, the study noted.
The report emphasized that ensuring the long-term survival of elephants in the state will depend on maintaining a balance between conservation efforts and protecting the livelihoods of local communities living along these migratory routes. To achieve this, the report stressed the need for a sustainable conflict mitigation strategy, which includes strengthening wildlife corridors, addressing habitat fragmentation caused by mining and infrastructure projects, and improving enforcement against poaching. Experts also advised promoting community awareness programs in newly colonized and adjoining areas to sensitize local populations about elephant behavior and encourage coexistence.
