India's Elephant Population Drops 17% Since 2017 Amid Habitat Loss

As of October 2025, India's elephant population has declined by approximately 17% since 2017, according to the latest All-India Synchronous Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India. The survey estimates the current elephant population to be between 18,255 and 26,645, with a central estimate of 22,446 individuals.

The Western Ghats region continues to be home to the highest number of elephants at 11,934, followed by the north-eastern hills and Brahmaputra floodplains with 6,559 elephants. Karnataka has the largest elephant population in the country, with 6,013 individuals. However, experts caution that the new DNA-based sampling method used in this survey makes the numbers not directly comparable to the previous 2017 estimation, which relied on a direct count approach.

Conservationists have raised concerns about the rapid fragmentation of once-contiguous elephant habitats, particularly in the Western Ghats and the Northeast landscape. This habitat loss and degradation, driven by factors like expanding commercial plantations, invasive species, and infrastructure development, has led to increased human-elephant conflicts and threatens the long-term survival of this iconic species. Addressing these challenges through strengthened wildlife corridors, mitigation measures, and community engagement will be crucial for the protection of India's elephants in the years to come.