Assam Loses Over 300 Elephants in Six Years, Incomplete Data Raises Concerns

Guwahati: Assam has witnessed the loss of over 300 elephants in the last six years due to a combination of natural and unnatural causes, including poaching, poisoning, electrocution, and train accidents. An RTI response from the Assam Forest Department revealed that 281 elephants died between 2019 and 2024 across 22 wildlife divisions.

However, the actual number is likely higher, as data from ten divisions remains unavailable, and some divisions provided incomplete information.

In 2019, 55 elephants were killed, followed by 50 in 2020, 35 in 2021, and 46 in 2022. The figures for 2023 and 2024 stood at 54 and 41, respectively. Manas National Park reported the highest elephant mortality, with 59 deaths, followed by Kaziranga National Park, where four elephants died.

However, data from the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, which covers a significant portion of Kaziranga, was not included due to the refusal of the DFO office to provide the information.

In April 2024, a female elephant named ‘Lakhimala,’ used for safaris at Kaziranga National Park’s Bagori range, mysteriously died. Additionally, on July 18, 2024, a female wild elephant died after coming into contact with an electric wire at the butterfly park near Numaligarh refinery.

Two senior officials of Numaligarh Refinery Limited were arrested for allegedly mishandling the carcass. Goalpara led with the highest number of elephant deaths at 27, followed by Kamrup (West) with 25, and Lakhimpur with 22 deaths. Meanwhile, divisions like Dhubri and Hailakandi reported no elephant deaths during this period.

During the last five years, Assam saw 16 elephants killed in train accidents and ten poisoned elephants. The Union Minister of State for Environment, Kirti Vardhan Singh, stated that 55 elephants died due to electrocution in Assam.

However, discrepancies were observed in RTI responses, with various divisions failing to provide complete data. Despite attempts to gather information, several wildlife divisions, including Digboi, Mangaldoi, and Kokrakjhar, did not respond.

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