After five long years, the elephants in the state will be counted this May. According to the last census Karnataka has over 5,000 elephants in the wild which is one of the highest wild elephant populations in the country followed by Kerala and Assam. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has directed the state government to appoint a team of elephant experts to conduct synchronised elephant census in the state as well as in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Kerala. This census will also coincide with the elephant census which will be conducted across the country.
The elephant census will be conducted in three states – Karnataka, Kerala and TN— on the same day since these states share Protected Areas wherein the elephants crisscross political boundaries. To avoid duplication, all three states will commence the counting of pachyderms on the same day. “We have received instructions from the MoEF and we are working on the dates to conduct the elephant census. A meeting of officials from Tamil Nadu and Kerala will be called in Bandipur to discuss the census details. We are also planning to hold a census with forest divisions in Maharashtra and Andra Pradesh since these areas have received elephants from Karnataka in the recent past,” Mr B K Singh, Wildlife PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden said.
The elephant census will be conducted in three phases – direct count – dung count and counting of elephants at waterholes. The volunteers will walk the forests of the state, both protected and non-protected areas to record the elephant signs.