World Elephant Day: With 5600, Assam Leads in Number of Jumbos in the Country

World Elephant Day was celebrated today at Manas National Park in Assam's Baksa district, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its thriving elephant population

Assam has a lot to cheer about on the occasion of World Elephant Day with the state’s jumbo population pegged at over 5600 elephants in the state as per the latest census. This is among the highest in the country and highlights the efforts put into elephant conservation.

World Elephant Day was celebrated today at Manas National Park in Assam’s Baksa district, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its thriving elephant population.

The celebrations were held at the Banhbari range.

The event kicked off with a ceremonial feeding of fruits to the elephants, symbolizing gratitude for the gentle giants. This was followed by comprehensive health check-ups and vaccination drives for the elephants, ensuring their well-being.

Speaking to media persons, Deputy Field Director of Manas National Park, Jesim Ahmed emphasized their commitment to elephant conservation, stating, “On the occasion of World Elephant Day, we conducted health check-ups for all elephants, followed by a puja ritual and food offerings. We also organized a programme to raise awareness about the human-elephant conflict at the Panbari, Bhuyapara, and Banhbari ranges.”

Barin Boro, Ranger of Banhbari Range of Manas National Park said that they are optimistic that the elephant population in the region will soon increase.

World Elephant Day was also celebrated at the Bhuiyapara and Panbari ranges, underscoring the park’s holistic approach to wildlife conservation.

Even though the state has managed to increase the elephant population, man-elephant conflict continues to be the biggest challenge in saving the jumbos and conserving then.

At least 170 elephants have died in Assam since 2022 due to multiple factors including encroachment on elephant corridors, deaths due to speeding trains and electrocution.

As per reports, about one-fifth of India’s elephants live in Assam and the human-elephant conflict over natural resources is very complex. Human population expansion and unplanned developmental activities have led to elephant habitat destruction or fragmentation in the past.

However, in the last few years, the state government under CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken steps to ensure that enough space is created for the peaceful coexistence of the pachyderms with humans across the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys and the Barail Hill range in between.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of World Elephant Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to doing everything possible to ensure elephants get a conducive habitat.

World Elephant Day, observed annually on August 12, plays a crucial role in spotlighting the urgent issues faced by elephants and advocating for their protection and preservation.

COMMENTS