India’s wild elephant population falls 25% in eight years, says DNA study

India’s Wild Elephant Count Falls to 22,446 in DNA Survey (Image: Canva)

India’s elephants are fewer than before, according to the country’s first DNA-based population count.  The new data evoke new concerns regarding the fate of these magnificent giants and their destiny in dwindling habitats.

What does the new count reveal?
The All-India Synchronous Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2025 has estimated the nation’s wild elephant population at 22,446, lower than the 27,312 recorded in 2017. The range, officials said, lies between 18,255 and 26,645. The government released the long-awaited report on Tuesday, almost four years after the survey began in 2021.

Why was the report delayed?
Officials cited the complexity of genetic analysis and data validation as the main reasons for the delay. Scientists had to collect 21,056 dung samples from elephant landscapes across the country. Using DNA fingerprinting, they identified individual elephants, similar to how humans are recognised through their genetic code.

The field teams covered nearly 6.7 lakh km of forest trails and examined over 3.1 lakh dung plots. The study was jointly carried out by the Environment Ministry, Project Elephant and the Wildlife Institute of India.

Where are most elephants found?
The Western Ghats remain India’s largest elephant stronghold, holding 11,934 animals. The North Eastern Hills and Brahmaputra floodplains follow with 6,559 elephants. The Shivalik Hills and Gangetic plains have 2,062, while Central India and the Eastern Ghats together hold 1,891.

Karnataka leads all states with 6,013 elephants, followed by Assam with 4,159. Tamil Nadu has 3,136, Kerala 2,785 and Uttarakhand 1,792. Odisha hosts 912 elephants, while Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand together account for more than 650. Smaller herds survive in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have tiny, fragmented populations.

How was the survey conducted?
The 2025 exercise used a three-phase method combining ground surveys, satellite mapping and DNA analysis. In the first phase, forest staff used the M-Stripes mobile app to record elephant sightings during foot surveys.  The second phase examined habitat and human footprint conditions via satellite imaging. The third phase included DNA extraction from dung, identification of 4,065 individual elephants, and application of a mark-recapture model to estimate total populations.

What do scientists say about the findings?
Experts say the study offers a new scientific baseline for long-term monitoring and conservation. India holds more than 60 per cent of the world’s remaining Asian elephants, yet their natural range is shrinking due to encroachment, infrastructure expansion and growing human-elephant conflict.

The new estimate, they say, is not just a count of elephants but a reminder of the fragile balance between wildlife and people in one of the planet’s most biodiverse regions.