According to a census report, Tamil Nadu has seen a record rise in elephant population during the last six years

According to a census taken in May, elephant populations in Tamil Nadu’s forested areas have increased since 2017.

Elephant numbers increased from 2,761 in 2017 to 2,961 in the census conducted over three days starting on May 17 in forests in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala, according to information provided by chief minister MK Stalin.

The number of elephants in Tamil Nadu was estimated in 699 blocks across 25 forest divisions. Participants in this poll included volunteers from NGOs as well as anti-poaching watchers, forest watchers, forest guards, foresters, and rangers.

According to the synchronized Elephant Population Estimation Report that chief minister MK Stalin presented on Tuesday, “Tamil Nadu shows a surge in wild elephant populations. Elephants have a sex ratio of 1:2.17. According to Supriya Sahu, state forest secretary, there are 1,105 elephants in the Eastern Ghats and 1,855 in the Western Ghats.

According to the secretary, 690 blocks in Tamil Nadu and Kerala were covered by 2,099 workers, including 368 volunteers.

With assistance from the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, the ANC College in Mayavaram, and the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun, the census was counted.

Masinagudi forest range contains 346 jumbos, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve has 444 elephants, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve has 668 elephants, and Anamalai Tiger Reserve has 211 elephants.

According to a representative of the forest department, “a number of measures taken by the state government have resulted in the increase in the number of elephants in the wild.” According to the research, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve has the highest estimated density of elephants among the 26 forest divisions, followed by MTR Masinagudi division and STR Hasanur division.

The Nilgiris Eastern Ghats Elephant Reserve, followed by Agasthyamalai Elephant Reserve, Nilambur Silent Valley-Coimbatore Elephant Reserve, and Periyar Elephant Reserve, has the greatest estimated density among the five elephant reserves.

In Tamil Nadu, there were 2,761 elephants, according to the 2017 synchronized national elephant census. For the census, the state of Tamil Nadu’s forest department had chosen 708 blocks from its 26 forest divisions. Within the boundaries of the Coimbatore Forest Division, there were up to 42 blocks. A team from the forest department, anti-poaching patrols, and two NGOs or college students were assigned to each block.

At the event where the report was released, senior officials including State Forest Minister M Mathiventhan, Chief Secretaries Shiv Das Meena and Supriya Sahu, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife Warden Srinivas R Reddy, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve Conservator of Forests and Field Director D Venkatesh, and others were present.