BENGALURU: For the second consecutive year, Karnataka State Forest Department will continue to take the lead in coordinating and conducting the synchronised annual elephant census exercise for the three southern elephant states, from May 23- 25.
Like the previous year, while the 10 bordering forest divisions will be assessed, this year, along with the Mysore Elephant Reserve, the elephants residing in the coffee estates of Karnataka -- in Hassan and Chikkamagaluru -- will also be accounted in the census exercise.
The census will also be done in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. “While all-India elephant census is done once in five years, in Karnataka, just like the tiger census, the elephant census is also being done annually to mitigate conflict.
The decision to involve the southern elephant states in the exercise was taken at the meeting which was held in Bandipur Tiger Reserve in 2024. Following which, the first coordinated estimation exercise was done in 2024 and Karnataka took the lead. On May 20, a training will be imparted to the foresters on the methodology,” said Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, wildlife, Srinivasulu.
The prescribed format set by the Wildlife Institute of India and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will be used for assessment- direct count, indirect method including dung analysis and elephant profiling. Elephant experts along with those from IISc will also be a part of the exercise.
In 2024, Karnataka recorded 4,126 elephants in the 10 divisions bordering the neighbouring states. Reports showed Bandipur Tiger Reserve housed the highest elephants- 1,042 and Virajpet the lowest-23. In 2023, foresters counted 6,395 elephants across Karnataka. This is 25% of India’s elephant population.
Elephant expert R Sukumar said that apart from the Mysore Elephant Reserve and the divisions which are being surveyed, there will be around 100-200 more elephants in the rest of the state.
The herd count
The Mysuru Elephant Reserve comprises of Bannerghatta National Park, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Kollegal, BRT Tiger Reserve, Bandipur Tiger Reserve Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Bramhagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and Bhadra Tiger Reserve.
The ten forest divisions comprise of Bannerghatta National Park, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, BRT Tiger Reserve, Bandipur Tiger Reserve Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Virajpet, Madikeri- wildlife and territorial and Kolar.