India’s Wild Elephant Population Falls 18% to 22,446, First DNA-Based Census Reveals

India’s first-ever DNA-based elephant census estimates 22,446 wild elephants nationwide — an 18% drop from 2017’s figure of 27,312 — highlighting growing conservation challenges for the country’s largest land mammal.

14 Oct 2025 19:38 IST

New Update

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi: India’s wild elephant population has declined by nearly 18 per cent over the past eight years, according to the country’s first DNA-based census released under the All-India Synchronous Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2025.

The report estimates India’s elephant population at 22,446, compared to 27,312 recorded in 2017. The study places the range between 18,255 and 26,645 individuals, marking a significant shift in the way elephant populations are assessed — moving from traditional visual counts to genetic analysis for higher accuracy.

The DNA-based approach involved collecting and analysing dung samples from across elephant habitats to identify individual animals through unique genetic markers. Officials said the method reduces duplication errors common in earlier survey techniques.

Conservationists have expressed concern over the decline, citing habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, and fragmentation of migration corridors as major threats. India, home to over half of Asia’s remaining wild elephants, has been implementing several conservation programmes under Project Elephant since 1992.