Important Facts For Prelims
Elephant Undercounting
- 27 Jul 2019
- 2 min read
Kerala may have undercounted almost 2,700 elephants in the latest elephant census conducted in 2017.
- The earlier 2017 elephant census figures indicated that Kerala had only 3,054 elephants whereas, recent number showed Kerala as having 5,706 elephants.
- Elephant census, is conducted once in 5 years under the aegis of Project elephant.
- A scientist associated with the census are of the view that discrepancy had resulted from Kerala’s insistence in 2017 on using a technique called the ‘direct count’ method.
Elephant Counting Methods Employed in Census
- The direct counting method is based on sightings of elephants.
- The indirect counting method uses the elephant elephant ‘dung decay’ formula, in which the analysis of dung is used to estimate the population of the elephant.
Project Elephant
- Project Elephant (PE), is a centrally sponsored scheme, and was launched in February 1992 for the protection of elephants, their habitats and corridors.
- It also seeks to address the issues of human-wildlife conflict and welfare of domesticated elephants.
- The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provides the financial and technical support to major elephant range states in the country through Project Elephant.
